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Long Island Sound and North Eastern Seaboard (USA) 
Long Island Sound became an extremely busy waterway with towns on the Connecticut coast being transshipment points for produce from the state interior and increasingly becoming homes for commuters to New York City and holiday homes for the very rich and famous. It was a natural, relatively sheltered, route for steamships in the days when overland travel was difficult and railways yet to be fully developed. Steamship companies sprang up in many of these towns and in the mid 1800s, the names of Bridgeport, Norwich, New London, Stonington, Narrangasset, Naugatuk and Montauk were amongst those represented.

Not until 1889 was it possible to get directly from the city of Boston to New York by rail. There was the option of a direct by a long and relatively exposed deep sea route around Cape Cod or, once the expanding railways had reached a suitable coastal harbour, change for onward travel by steamship. The town of Fall River in Massachussets became the railhead for this traffic soon after Richard Borden's railway was opened in 1846 and his "Fall River Line" came to dominate passenger travel on the overnight run with ever larger and more luxurious paddle steamers until 1937. In the early part of the twentieth century, the Fall River Line fleet had, by a considerable margin, the largest paddle steamers of their day.   Railway companies all had interests in this trade, building their own links or absorbing their rivals and ensuring steamships served their railheads. Paddle steamers were ideal for the sheltered route but not for the sea route.  
The steamship business here attracted numerous entrepreneurs and budding tycoons, Cornelius Vanderbilt and John H Starin amongst them. Controverial financiers and market manipulators Jim Fisk and Jay Gould who, amongst many other interests, owned the Narrangasset Steamboat Company and took control of the Fall River Line only months before a major financial scandal broke in 1869 heralding the collapse of many banks and companies on the Black Friday of September 24th. It was reported that Gould had earlier entertained US President Grant aboard the steamer Providence as part of his scheme.  Fisk was later murdered by one of his many disgruntled enemies. Prominent financier JP Morgan was to join the board of the New Haven Railroad as it began its rapid expansion course which began with the Fall River Line, turning it into the premier service in the area.

The first decade of the century saw most of the steamship industry in the area consolidated into two main groups.

The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad had acquired most of the railways in the area and operated the most prestigious of the steamship services, having taken over the Fall River Line. It continued to buy up Long Island Sound operators and then, themselves, became part of the New England Shipping Company from 1906.

The  Eastern Steamship Company, the steamship interest of notorious financier CW Morse, was established in 1901 on take-over of the lines primarily operating coastal services along the US's eastern seaboard including from Boston northwards and direct services to New York.The company even made an attempt to take over the New Haven Railroad's companies. 

Most services were overnight journeys with passengers accommodated in cabins or staterooms, However, there were paddle steamer services out to beach resorts such as Nantasket Beach and to serve various islands. These were day services, heavily patronised by excursionists in the summer months on smaller paddle steamers without sleeping accommodation. Services to the holiday island of Martha's Vineyard provided excellent business for paddle steamers based in New Bedford. Block Island was linked to Norwich via New London. The Montauk Steamboat Company provided a relatively short ferry service from eastern Long Island to the Connecticut coast as well as its longer runs to Manhattan.

Passenger Paddle Steamers Registered as at 30th June 1900   * denotes a day boat / operator
At Bath ME   : Kennebec Steamboat Co

Sagadahoc 1866 22152
Kennebec 1889 14484

At Boston MA  : Boston & Bangor Steamship Co, Colonial Steamship Co, Nantasket Beach Steamboat Co *, John Morrison *, Plymouth Rock Steamboat Co *.

Putnam * 1857 20203
John Brooks 1859 13452
New Brunswick 1860 18322
John Endicott * 1863 22430
Governor Andrew * 1874 85328
General Lincoln * 1878 130126
Nantasket * 1878 130127
Penobscot 1882 150253
Mayflower * 1891 92291
City of Bangor 1894 127020
Myles Standish * 1895 92656
Hingham * 1896 96338

At Bridgeport CT  : Bridgeport Steamboat Company *

Rosedale * 1877 110329
Belle Horton *         1881        3149
Isabel * 1894 100581

At Fall River MA : Fall River Line division of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad

Providence 1867 19612
Pilgrim 1883 150280
Puritan 1889 150471
Plymouth 1890 150502
Priscilla 1894 150666

At New Bedford MA  :  New Bedford, Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket Steamboat Co *

Monohansett * 1862 16795
Martha's Vineyard * 1871 90288
Nantucket * 1886 130354
Gay Head * 1891 86151

At New Haven CT  : New Haven Steamboat Co.

Continental 1860 4631
CH Northam 1873 125117
Margaret **189692729
** Although registered at New Haven, Margaret was owned by Henry Plant's Plant Line and sailed out of Tampa Bay FL


At New London CT :  New London Steamboat Co *,  Norwich & New York Transportation Co

Ella * 1864 7951
City of Lawrence 1867 5273
Block Island * 1882 3201
City of Worcester 1891 125941

At Portland ME  :  Portland Steamship Co,   International Steamship Co,  Portland, Mount Desert & Machiasport Steamboat Co.

State of Maine 1882 115856
Cumberland 1885 126281
Tremont 1885     145336
Frank Jones 1892 120903
Bay State 1895 3645

At Providence RI  : Providence, Fall River & Newport Steamship Co *,  Providence & Stonington Steamship Co

City of Newport * 1863 5033
Bay Queen * 1865 2410
Narragansset * 1866 18475
What Cheer *186726884
Richard Borden * 1874 110174
Massachusetts 1877 90978
Rhode Island 1882 110519
Mount Hope * 1888 90034
Connecticut 1889 126559

At Rockland ME  : Boston & Bangor Steamship Co

Mount Desert 1879 91128

At Sag Harbour NY  : Montauk Steamboat Co

Montauk189092259
Shinnecock 1896 116712
Also Listed : Companies operating out of New York City  : Starin's New Haven Line,  Joy Steamship Company

John H Starin
Old Dominion


In the period after 1900, operating companies and new start-ups brought in second hand tonnage from other local operators, other parts of the USA, mainly New York City and some from Chesapeake Bay. Frequently the transfer of ships involved a name change.

The following paddle steamers were specially built for sevice on Long Island Sound and the north-eastern seaboard after 1900.  Note :  *  denotes a "Day Boat"

City of Rockland  (1901)
Nantasket (1902)*
William G Payne (1902)*
Uncantena (1902)*
Ransom B Fuller (1902)
Old Colony (1904)*
JT Morse (1904)
Providence (1905)
South Shore (1906)*
Commonwealth (1908)
Rose Standish (1912)*
Mary Chilton (1916)*

Paddler purchased by the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company for ferry services across Long Island Sound :

Victor, built in 1854 (1903)


See bottom of this page for river crossing ferries

Below :     Day Boats                                    Click here for Night Boats


Above : Nantasket, an excursion steamer built in 1902, the first of a number of new vessels in the twentieth century, to take Boston people to a nearby beach resort

Paddle Steamers Registered in 1900

At Boston MA

Nantasket Beach Steamboat Company   :  Nantasket-Boston Steamboat Company (from the mid-1930s)

Operated paddle steamers through the island-dotted bay outside Boston to the beach resort of Nantasket and onward to Plymouth on Cape Cod Bay. With a history going back as far as 1831 as the Boston & Higham Steamboat Company and and later the Nantasket Beach Steamboat Lines. There remained a healthy paddle steamer service until 28th November 1929 when fire destroyed five ships following a fire on the wharfside at the company's base at Hull where the steamers were tied up for the winter. Mayflower was saved with relatively little damage. Replacement tonnage was acquired second-hand including two screw steamers, Newburgh and Homer T Ramsdell from the liquidated Central-Hudson company which became the new Nantasket and Allerton. Mayflower sailed on until 1948 and had a second life as a "showboat" nightclub on dry land in Hull until 10th November 1979 when fire stuck once more. One
earlier vessel, John Romer (purchased in 1866), was still in service at Newport News VA in 1900.


Governor Andrew (-1905)
085328  JSHM
Built in 1874 at Greenport, NY
Iron 164 x 29 ft  495 GT
Sold to the Boston, Nahant & Pines Steamboat Company
Lost to fire at East Boston on 11th June 1911



General Lincoln (-1905)
130125   JTFK
Built in 1878 at Chelsea MA
Iron  160 x 28.2 ft  308 GT
Formerly Nahant
Sold to the Boston, Nahant & Pines Steamboat Company in 1905
Bought by McAllister Navigation Co of New York
Bought in 1921 for service on the Claiborne-Annapolis Ferry
Sold in 1923 to Patrick Gannon at Baltimore and renamed Indian Head



Nantasket (1878-1901)
130127
Built in 1878 at Chelsea MA
Iron 173.5 x 29.1 ft  488 GT
Sold for use at Sag Harbour for the Montauk Steamboat Co.
Bacame Keansburg in 1910 when sold to the Keansburg Steamboat Company of New Jersey



Mayflower (1891-1948)
092291  KJQL
Built in 1891 at Chelsea MA
Iron  202.5 x 22.5 ft   778 GT


Myles Standish (1895-1924)
092656   KMHG  / WEFV
Built in 1895 at Chelsea MA
Iron  197.8 x 33.6 ft  700 GT
1924 - Registered to William M Mills of New York and sailing to Martha's Vineyard
1934 - in the estate of William M Mills of New York

Hingham (1896-1902)
096338
Built in 1896 at Chelsea MA
Wood  167.6  x 25 ft   471  Gt
Hingham of the Boston & Hingham Steamboat Co
Purchased by the Montauk Steamboat Company, renamed Orient and operated from 1902 to 1921.
Subsequently registered at Mobile AL as Bay Queen until 1928



New Aquisitions after 1900

Nantasket (1902-1929)
130066   KRPN
Built in 1902 at Chelsea MA
Iron  188.9 x 34 ft  739 GT   KRPN



Old Colony (1904-1929)
200888    KTCL
Built in 1904 at Chelsea MA
Iron  184.2 x 32.5 ft  741 GT   KTCL



South Shore (1906-)
203001  KVHF
Built in 1906 at Quincy
Steel  200 x 32.5 ft  874 GT  



Betty Alden (1908-1929)
205108   KWPT
Built in 1908 at Boston MA
Iron  183.4 x 31 ft. 775 GT  



Rose Standish (1912-1929)
111319   LCJK
Built in 1912 at Wilmington DE
Steel  205.4 x 354.ft   993 GT


Above : Rose Standish was the first ship to transit the newly opened Cape Cod Canal on 29th July 1914 as part of a celebratory parade of vessels

Mary Chilton (1916-1929)
214363  LGHF
Built in 1916 at Boston MA
Iron  205.2 x 32.6 ft  922 GT  


Above : Mary Chilton showing her walking beam in a photo by N.L. Stebbings (1847-1922) and believed to be taken in 1917.
Built only in 1916, it was perhaps surprising to see the apparatus of her beam engine, giving the impression of a much older steamer

Uncantena / Pemberton (1930-
Built 1902 at Wilmington DE
175.5 x 31 ft   831 GT  
Bought 1930  ex-Uncantena of  New Bedford, Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket Steamboat Company.
Initially sailed for the Nantasket Beach Company as Uncantena until renamed
 
Plymouth (1930-
092331
Built 1902 at Philadelphia PA
Steel  200 x 36  ft     1197 GT  
Night boat with overnight accommodation
Bought 1930  ex- Middlesex. Previously sailed out of Baltimore
Sold to the Sound Steamship Lines and renamed Manhattan
Burned at Tottenville NY in 1939. Converted to a barge.

Town of Hull (1937-1944)
116712
Built in 1896 at Wilmington DE
Steel  226 x 35 ft   1205 GT    
ex- Shinnecock of the Montauk & New London Steamboat Co
Converted to an excursion ship in 1922
ex- Empire State of the Union Navigation Co (1935) and  Empire State Excursion Steamship Co (1936)
Damaged in a hurricane in 1944 and scrapped in 1946


Plymouth Rock Steamboat Company  

Captain E W Davidson, a veteran Civil War era captain who carried, amongst others General Ulysses S Grant, established a sightseeing and  excursion service from Boston to Plymouth in 1878

Putnam (-1901)
020203
Built in 1857 at Brooklyn NY
Wood  136 x 22 ft  316 GT
Formerly US lighthouse tender vessel WG Putnam


Paddle Steamer John Endicott

John Endicott  ( -1900)
Built in 1863 at Brooklyn NY
022430
Wood  168.8 x 28.1 ft  399 GT
ex- Stamford
Struck a rock and beached while en route from Plymouth to Boston on 9th September 1900
Refloated but sank whilst under tow to Boston



At Bridgeport CT

Bridgeport Steamboat Company  :  Taken over by the New Haven Railroad in 1903

Became part of the New Haven Railroad in 1903. It had many notable paddle steamers, including James B Schuyler (1865-1874), bought almost new from the Hudson River and sold for further use on the Hudson before becoming an excursion ship at New York City. The ship was lost to fire at Manhattan, on 21 Sept 1897.
They also bought Stamford (1865-1900), built in Brooklyn in 1863, and placed her on the Stamford run. The ship was sold in 1900 and renamed John Endicott. She was wrecked at Cohasset, MA later the same year

Rosedale (1879-1918)
110329
Built in 1877 at Norfolk VA
Wood  216 x 34.2 Ft  938 GT
Came to Bridgeport initially as independent operation.
Sank in New York's East River in September 1896 in a collision with the steamer Oregon, with no loss of life
In service from 1918 until 1921 at Philadelphia PA after use by the US Navy on the Delaware in 1918


Above : Rosedale of 1877 seen in 1907 in a photo by Frank M Ingalls in the collection of the New York Historical Society shown for education purposes.

New additions in the 20th century :

William G Payne (1902-1906), later Bridgeport
081809
Built in 1902 at Wilmington DE
Steel  243.3 x 36.9 ft   1310 GT
Renamed Bridgeport in 1906
Renamed Highlander in 1915
Sold to Daniel F McAllister in 1924 for excursions on the River Hudson and renamed Bear Mountain
Sold to the Delaware-Hudson Steamship Company (Mandalay Line) of New York in 1938 for services between Coney Island, New York City and Bear Mountain
Sold to the Maryland Boat Company of Baltimore after World War II


John Sylvester (1903-1914)
013185   
Built in 1866 in Jersey City NJ
Wood  193 x 30 ft  495 GT   Beam engine 44 x 120 in by Murphy, McCurdy & Warden of New York NY
Built for day service between Norfolk VA and Richmond VA
Later on the Delaware River the used for excursion work in the New York area
In 1901-02 was registered at New York City but sailed for the Delaware River Navigation Company
Moved to Bridgeport CT in 1903
In 1913 whilst still registered at Bridgeport, was competing with the Iron Steamboat Company between New York and Rockaway Beach
Became Starlight in 1915 sailing for George W Brown at Baltimore and survived until 1931



Paddle Steamer Belle Horton


Belle Horton  (1900)
003149
Built in 1881 at Athens NY
Wood  135.6 x 25.5 ft  291 GT
Owned by the Citizens Line of Troy on the River Hudson
Used for excursions and as a tender to their large night-liners
Registered in Bridgeport CT in 1900 and Norfolk VA in 1901
Sailed on the James River between Norfolk and Pine Beach on the
Renamed Pine Beach in 1905
Lost to fire in 1906

Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company

Victor (1903-1910)
Built in 1854 at Albany NY
120  x 24.6 ft: 188 GT
Originally John L Lockwood, then US gunboat USS John L Lockwood
Later Henry Smith and in service with the US Army (Quartermaster Department) as USQMD Henry Smith



At New Bedford MA

New Bedford, Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket Steamboat Company

Steamships served Nantucket Island from New Bedford from 1818 and when the railways reached Hyannis Port on Cape Cod in 1854, a connection was made there. The New Bedford Company was established in 1886 with for steamers, including The ferry link from Hyannis to Nantucket continues to this day.

Monohansett (1862-1904)
016795
Built in 1862 at New York NY
Wood 178.4 x 28.2 ft   489 GT
Lost after grounding at Misery Island in June 1904



Martha's Vineyard  (1871-1912)
090288   JKNG
Built at Brooklyn NY
Wood 171.2 x 28 ft  515 GT
Sold to the Keansburg Steeamboat Co of New Jersey and renamed Keyport
Survived until 1917





Nantucket  (1886-1913)
130354   KDJN
Built at Wilmington DE
Wood 190 x 32 ft  629 GT
Sold to Kingsburg Steamship Company, registered at Perth Amboy NJ
Renamed Point Comfort
Lost to stranding at Esopus Island NY on 17th September 1919



Gay Head (1891-1924)
086151  KJCE
Built in 1891 at Philadelphia PA
Iron  203 x 34 ft  401 GT  



New Acquisitions after 1900

Uncantena (1902-1925)
025351  KRWJ
Built in 1902 at Wilmington DE
Steel  178 x 31 ft  652 GT
1925 - At New Haven for the New England SS Co  
Sold in 1930 to Nantasket Beach Steamboat Co and renamed Pemberton
 


Myles Standish (1924-1934)
092656   KMHG  / WEFV
Built in 1895 at Chelsea MA
Iron  197.8 x 33.6 ft  700 GT
1924 - Registered to William M Mills of New York and sailing to Martha's Vineyard
1934 - in the estate of William M Mills of New York



At New London CT

New London Steamboat Company

The New London company was formed in 1882 to provide a daily summer service from Norwich to the offshore Block Island which had become an important excursion destination. It had been served on an infrequent basis until then by the small paddle steamer Ella (1864-1902) out of Norwich under the auspices of the New London Northern Railroad. Block Island was also used for excursion work outside the main season.

Ella
007951
Built in 1864 at Mystic CT
Wood  152.8 x 22.1 ft  300 GT


Block Island (1882-1926)
003201
Built in 1882 at Noank CT
Wood  187.3 x 33 ft  757 GT



At Providence RI

Providence, Fall River & Newport Steamship Company

This company had, by 1895, consolidated a number of independent lines and provided local services in the Narrangasset Bay area


City of Newport (1863-1914)
005033   HDWK
Built in 1863 at New York NY
Wood  177.5 x 28.5   561 GT




Bay Queen (1865-1904)
002410   HCQL
Built in 1865 at Brooklyn NY
Wood  184.3 x 29.7 ft  679 GT



What Cheer (1867-1920)
026884
Built in 1867 at Keyport NJ
Wood   117 x 23 ft m  214 GT
Originally a tow boat converted for passenger use
Owned by the American Steamboat Company and then the Continental Steamboat Company before consolidation
From 1904 was based at Providence RI
Sank in 1920

Richard Borden (1874-1906)
110174
Built in 1874 at Bulls Ferry NJ
Wood  203 x 33 ft  893 GT



Mount Hope (1888-1914)
090034   KFGD
Built in 1888 at Chelsea MA by George Pierce
Wood   193.1 x 58.8    580 GT
Built for the Fall River Line
Served on the Providence - Block island run until the end of the 1934 season
Engine removed and laid-up at Providence
Sank in gales in 1936 and again in 1938 and later beached at East Providence.  



At Sag Harbor NY and later at New York NY
Montauk Steamboat Co  (later the Montauk & New London Steamboat Company)

Established in 1853, the company served Montauk NY a small community at the eastern end of Long Island operating routes to New York City and across the Sound to Block Island (RI) for onward connections to Providence and Newport. The company was sold to the Long Island Railroad Co, a long-time competitor for the Long Island trade, in 1899. The company's registration was later changed to New York City. The company increasingtly concentrated on their shorter day services across the sound to New London and to Block Island as traffic to new York City was handled by the railway.  Their second-hand purchases weer of suitable vessels and Shinnecock was later converted accordingly.


Montauk (1891-1902)
092294
Built in 1891 at Wilmington DE by Harlan & Hollingsworth
Iron 175 x 31 ft  570 GT  Beam engine 38 x 108 in by the builders.
Montauk was sold to Canadian interests in 1902 and renamed  King Edward, then Forest City from 1910, and under ownership of Clow & Nicholson from 1923.
Survived until 1944




Shinnecock (1896-1934)   Converted from a Night Boat to a Day Boat
116712
Built in 1896 at Wilmington DE
Steel  226 x 35 ft   1205 GT
Converted to an excursion ship in 1922 and sailed between eastern Long Island ports and New London CT 
Later Empire State of the Union Navigation Co (1934) and  Empire State Excursion Steamship Co (1936)
Sold in 1937 to the Nantasket-Boston Steamboat Company and became Town of Hull
Damaged in a hurricane in 1944 and scrapped in 1946


Above : Shinnecock as a day boat after conversion

New Acquisitions after 1900

Greenport (1902-1906)   Night Boat
022152  HQNM
Built in 1866 at New York NY
Wood  244.2 x 35.2 ft   1413 GT
1870-1901 Kennebec Steamboat Company on the Maine coastal service as  Star of the East and later Sagahadoc
1902-1906 Montauk Steamship Company on Long Island Sound as Greenport
1907-1909 Richard Halley at Newark NJ
1910-1912 Hudson Navigation Company



Orient (1902-1921)
096338
Built in 1896 at Chelsea MA
Wood  167.6  x 25 ft   471  Gt
ex- Hingham of the Boston & Hingham Steamboat Co
Purchased in 1902

Nantasket (1902-1909)
130127
Built in 1878 at Chelsea MA
Iron 173.5 x 29.1 ft  488 GT
Purchased from the Nantasket Beach Steamboat Company.
Sold to the Keansburg Steamboat Company in 1910 and renamed Keansburg





Newly Established Paddle Steamer Operators after 1900
.
Boston, Nahant & Pines Steamboat Company  :  Registered at Boston MA

Nahant is a small town on a small peninsula more like an island off the Massachussets coast, although connected by a long natural causeway. Pines is the mainland end beach resort.

Governor Andrew (1906-1911)
085328  JSHM
Built in 1874 at Greenport, NY
Iron 164 x 29 ft  495 GT
Bought from the Nantasket Bay Steamboat Company
Lost to fire at East Boston on 11th June 1911



General Lincoln (1906-1911)
130125   JTFJ
Built in 1878 at Chelsea MA
Iron  160 x 28.2 ft  308 GT
Formerly Nahant
Bought from the Nantasket Bay Steamboat Company
Bought by McAllister Navigation Co of New York
Bought in 1921 for service on the Claiborne-Annapolis Ferry
Sold in 1923 to Patrick Gannon at Baltimore and renamed Indian Head



New York Registered : North & East River Steamboat Company
The Stamford service had the paddle steamer Shady Side (1892-1921). She was built 1873 in at Bull's Ferry NJ and came to the NYC to Stamford run after long service in the New York City local trade.  

Shady Side (1892-1921)
115180
Built in 1873 at Bulls Ferry NJ
Wood  168.1 x 27.5 ft   444 GT
Built for local services in the New York area for the Morrisania Steambaot Company
From 1881 was run by Walter H Shupe, controversially offering cut-price cruises and ferry services
After a brief spell on the Delaware River she was moved to the New York to Stamford CT run
Sold in 1921 but new owners Black Star Line collapsed and the ship was abandoned at Fort Lee NJ the following year



Other Paddle Steamers in operation after 1900

Ocean Excursion Company

This company, registered in Boston, operated the paddle steamer new Brunswick for one year, 1905, her final year

New Brunswick  (1905)
018322   HPDQ
Built in 1860 at New York NY
Wood  220.4 x 31 ft   935 GT
Sailed for the Colonial Steamboat Company between New York and Providence
Sailed in 1905 only for the Ocean Excursion Company of Boston.

 


Ferry-turned-excursion ship Brinckerhoff

Paddle ferry Brinckerhoff served on the Poughkeepsie NY to Highland NY crossing of the Hudson River until 1941 when a bridge was opened. She was bought by the city of Bridgeport CT and operated on excursions until 1950. She was donated to the Mystic Seaport Museum and moored as an exhibit until 1961 when she was to be sold. Although a new private owner appeared, the ship was lost to fire before anything new could happen with her. 

Brinckerhoff 
003819
Built in 1899 at Newburgh NY
Steel    111 x 27.5 ft  317  GT
.
RIVER CROSSINGS - PADDLE FERRIES

Paddle steamers were widely used on short ferry services, often owned by railway companies to link separate parts of their network in the absence of a bridge. Numerous ferries ran in Boston. One persisting with paddle ferries into the modern era was the Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn Railroad Company, whose local narrow-gauge services from Lynn and Winthrop terminated at East Boston which was linked to Rowe's Wharf in Boston by ferry. Paddlers served the link for the entire life of the railway company, whose services closed in January 1940

Union (1875-1889)
Oriole (1876-1878)
City of Lynn (1878-1918)
Swampscott (1882-1908)
Dartmouth (1899-1939)
Ashburnham (1905-1940)
Brewster (1906-1940)
Newton (1908-1940)


Above : Paddle ferry Dartmouth at Boston

The New England coastline has numerous rivers emptying into the Atlantic Ocean,, often through wide, island scattered bays. Narrangasset Bay is one such and there were paddle steamer  ferries at Newport RI. At the turn of the century, ferries Conanicut (1886) and Beaver Tail (1896) were in service. They were later joined by second-hand tonnage (Jamestown 1884, ex-Fishkill-on-Hudson and Mohican 1896, ex-Fairhaven) and after that by screw vessels, including Governor Carr, which was also left high and dry after the hurricane had passed


Above : Beaver Tail's career came to an end when she was driven ashore during the hurricane of 21st September, 1938


People's Ferry Company  (Bath - Woolwich)

Carried railway coaches for the Maine Central Railroad. In 1909 the Fernando Gorges was introduced and this vessel could also carry railway locomotives.

Hercules
Built in 1892 at Bath ME
200.6 ft x 37.6 ft : 800 GT
Became reserve vessel from 1909 but remained active until 1927 when a bridge was built

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