Since the 1850s when coal-fired, reciprocating steam engines were first heralded as a reliable means of powering ships, these majestic vessels have crisscrossed the Great Lakes transporting everything from coal and grain to iron ore and cement. The speed and efficiency of the lake freighters was unchallenged until the advent of the diesel locomotive engine. Today, however, the massive fleet has been reduced to a handful, and soon the Great Lakes steamboats may be extinct. David Plowden has been documenting the Great Lakes steamers for years, but recently, knowing that their time was coming to...
Since the 1850s when coal-fired, reciprocating steam engines were first heralded as a reliable means of powering ships, these majestic vessels have cr...