Photo Record
Images
Metadata
Collection |
Carus Collection |
Accession # |
P82-37-7-47 |
Description |
Black and white photograph of sidewheel steamer MICHIGAN. Port side view of vessel underway on open water. Known as the oldest iron ship afloat, it was the first iron warship. |
Object Name |
Print, Photographic |
Date |
1890 |
Vessel Info |
Vessel name: MICHIGAN Official number: U.S. NAVY Other names: WOLVERINE (1905-1949) Build date: 1844 Builder: Stackhouse & Tomlinson Place of build: Erie, PA Dimensions: 163.25 x 27.00 x 9.00 Gross Tonnage: None available Vessel Rig: Steamer Rebuild info: None available Ownership changes: U.S. Navy (1844-1948) Foundation for the Preservation of the Original USS Michigan, Inc. (1948-1949) Other history: First iron-hulled vessel in the U.S. Navy. Guarded Confederate prisoners on Johnson's Island in Lake Erie during the Civil War. Operated out of Erie, PA as home port. Decommissioned on 5/6/1912. Served as a training vessel for U.S. Naval Reserve. Ceased operation after equipment failure in 1923. Disposition: Scrapped in in 1949 in Erie, PA after fundraising efforts to preserve vessel failed. Prow of vessel erected as a monument in 1950 in downtown Erie, and later moved to Erie Maritime Museum. |
Other number |
Volume F |
Size of original |
8" x 10" |
Search Terms |
MICHIGAN Sidewheeler Navy, U.S. |
Credit line |
Carus Collection Donated by Henry N. Barkhausen |
Provenance |
Materials in this collection were collected and compiled by Great Lakes ship captain Edward Carus of Manitowoc over a period of more than 50 years. Captain Carus began his career on the Great Lakes sailing on schooners and spent many years as a captain for the Goodrich Line before retiring. During his career, he researched and recorded the maritime heritage of the areas where he sailed, particularly the western shore of Lake Michigan. Captain Carus worked for ten years with Edwin Schuette, also from Manitowoc, and Mr. Schuette also contributed to the collection. In 1937, Captain Carus had fallen on hard times, his wife was bedridden and they were in need of money. Although Captain Carus desired his extensive collection to stay in Manitowoc, neither the City of Manitowoc nor Mr. Schuette was willing to purchase it at the time. Instead, Henry N. Barkhausen purchased it and kept it in his personal collection for more than 40 years before donating it to the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in 1981, returning it to Manitowoc. Edwin Schuette passed his portion of the collection to his son, Henry Schuette, who then donated his portion to the museum in 1981 as well. |