From Wind to Steam

Wind powered the early vessels on the Great Lakes, leaving them at the mercy of changing conditions as they moved people and goods. The schooner became the favorite commercial sailing vessel because it was cheaper to build and easier to sail than other designs, and schooners dominated the lakes by the mid-1800s. Shipbuilder James Davidson became especially noted for immense wooden steam ships exceeding 300 feet in length. As lumber grew harder to acquire, other shipbuilders turned to iron and steel, creating vessels that were stronger and lighter than wooden ships of the same size, and ship sizes continued to grow. Soon after the Civil War, steam-powered vessels increased in number. Fueled by coal or wood, these steamers no longer had to rely on wind and could follow regular schedules. As steam technology advanced, ships became larger, faster, and more efficient, and today the largest ship on the Great Lakes is over 1,000 feet long. Steam vessels became efficient enough to move 2,000 pounds of cargo 170 miles at 13.2 miles an hour on one cent's worth of fuel.

Sevastopol, Wisconsin · United States