About Us

We are witnessing the end of an era.

It’s a cliché perhaps, but it remains as true today as it was half a century ago when America’s railroads purged themselves of their classic steam locomotives in favor of the diesel’s efficiency. The 1950's are commonly accepted as the end of the “steam era” in this country, but steam propulsion has lingered on for another five decades on our waterways, particularly the five freshwater seas known as the Great Lakes. Here, without the corrosive effects of salt water, a surprising number of vintage commercial vessels have enjoyed amazing longevity, a veritable time capsule of riveted hulls powered by steam or early diesel machinery.

Today, however, this era too is reaching its end, as modern economics are finally catching up with these survivors of another time. The last twelve years have seen the demise of the coal-fired freighter and the American straight-decker, the retirement of the last triple- and quadruple-expansion cargo steamers from active service, and a sharp reduction in the number of active steam turbine-driven vessels. Likewise, the traditional single-screw tugboats that work our nation’s harbors, and the once-ubiquitous commercial fishing vessels of the Great Lakes are rapidly dwindling in numbers.

The Northeastern Maritime Historical Foundation was formed in the Spring of 2003 to “save” a list of commercial vessels of historical importance to the Great Lakes, East Coast, and their early link, the Erie Canal. Our goal is to preserve as many of these vessels as possible, and document the history of all the others that served in the “Northeastern” region of the United States. Since the Foundation’s inception, we have developed a significant collection of vessels, physical artifacts, and archived historical images and data… and that is only the beginning.

The Northeastern Maritime Historical Foundation is a Wisconsin non-stock, non-profit 501(c)-3 corporation. The officers and board of directors consist entirely of industry professionals and marine historians. They are familiar with the industry in every aspect and all share the common love for our rich maritime heritage.

• Our Objective



• The Crew