State of Pennsylvania (steamboat)
Encyclopedia
The State of Pennsylvania was a steamboat
that was built in Wilmington
, Delaware
in 1923, along with her identical sister ship the State of Delaware. The steamboat operated on the Delaware River
between her homeport of Wilmington and the cities of Chester
and Philadelphia in Pennsylvania
, as well as Riverview Park in Pennsville, New Jersey
. Regular service on these routes was stopped in 1960. The boat foundered near its dock on the Christina River
in 1970. In 1979, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. In 1988, the upper decks were destroyed by a deliberately set fire, and in 2005 the hull was removed and scrapped as a hazard to navigation, all without the ship being raised.
." The two vessels were 219 feet (66.8 m) long with an length overall of 226 feet (68.9 m), with four decks. Approximately 80% of each ship was constructed of steel to help fireproof them. Their drafts were 10.5 feet (3.2 m).
The State of Pennsylvania was later extended by 10 feet (3 m) to length overall of 236 feet (71.9 m) with the addition of a "raked bow" in 1944. Both ships were equipped with a 2900 hp triple expansion steam engine, which gave it an operating speed of 18 mph (29 km/h; 14.8 kn). The State of Pennsylvania was the first riverboat to have a "coordinated whistle-light assembly" installed; the mechanism caused two lights on either side of the whistle to flash in sync with the signaling of the whistle.
The hull was occupied by the engine room, fuel oil
tanks, crew's mess, and crew quarters.
The purser
's office, boatswain
's lockers, a soda fountain
, lounges and rest rooms were located on the first or Main deck. The second or Saloon deck included the ballroom and bandstand and an open observation area. The third and fourth decks were terraced observation decks, with two raised steps allowing passengers in the middle of the deck to see over passengers nearer the railings. The top deck also included the pilot house, officer's quarters, life rafts and six life boats.
in 1923. She was commissioned by Joseph S. Wilson, owner of the Wilson Line and son of Captain Horace Wilson, who were the only father
and son to both serve as mayors of Wilmington.
The ship "entertained and transported" an estimated 20 to 25 million passengers from 1923 to 1960. Movie screens and projectors were added to the top deck in the 1930s. The State of Pennsylvania and its twin, the State of Delaware, were the first steamboats to screen movies, as well as to broadcast radio live. The Art Deco
ballroom and bandstand decorated by Philadelphia's John Wanamaker
were popular and featured the Pennsylvania Polka as the ship's unofficial theme song.
On June 27, 1938, during the 300th anniversary celebration of the arrival of the first Swedish and Finnish settlers in America, President Franklin D. Roosevelt
and Swedish Crown Prince (later King) Gustaf Adolf
and the Crown Princess
witnessed the special arrival in Wilmington of the State of Pennsylvania and its guests.
The ship operated mostly on summer excursion routes on the Delaware River
and Delaware Bay
, but during World War II transported shipyard workers in Baltimore and in 1948 re-inaugurated the Wilson Line's route to New York. During the 1950s she sailed out of Philadelphia on educational trips as a "Little Red Floating School House." City Investing Corporation bought the Wilson Line in the 1950s and terminated the Philadelphia-Chester-Wilmington-Riverview Park excursion routes in September 1960, thus ending the State of Pennsylvanias career.
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
that was built in Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
in 1923, along with her identical sister ship the State of Delaware. The steamboat operated on the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
between her homeport of Wilmington and the cities of Chester
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
and Philadelphia in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, as well as Riverview Park in Pennsville, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Regular service on these routes was stopped in 1960. The boat foundered near its dock on the Christina River
Christina River
The Christina River is a tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 35 miles long, in northern Delaware in the United States, also flowing through small areas of southeastern Pennsylvania and northeastern Maryland. Near its mouth the river flows past downtown Wilmington, Delaware,...
in 1970. In 1979, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. In 1988, the upper decks were destroyed by a deliberately set fire, and in 2005 the hull was removed and scrapped as a hazard to navigation, all without the ship being raised.
Design
The State of Pennsylvania and State of Delaware were "the most powerful...the widest and tallest single screw propeller riverboats on the East CoastEast Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
." The two vessels were 219 feet (66.8 m) long with an length overall of 226 feet (68.9 m), with four decks. Approximately 80% of each ship was constructed of steel to help fireproof them. Their drafts were 10.5 feet (3.2 m).
The State of Pennsylvania was later extended by 10 feet (3 m) to length overall of 236 feet (71.9 m) with the addition of a "raked bow" in 1944. Both ships were equipped with a 2900 hp triple expansion steam engine, which gave it an operating speed of 18 mph (29 km/h; 14.8 kn). The State of Pennsylvania was the first riverboat to have a "coordinated whistle-light assembly" installed; the mechanism caused two lights on either side of the whistle to flash in sync with the signaling of the whistle.
The hull was occupied by the engine room, fuel oil
Fuel oil
Fuel oil is a fraction obtained from petroleum distillation, either as a distillate or a residue. Broadly speaking, fuel oil is any liquid petroleum product that is burned in a furnace or boiler for the generation of heat or used in an engine for the generation of power, except oils having a flash...
tanks, crew's mess, and crew quarters.
The purser
Purser
The purser joined the warrant officer ranks of the Royal Navy in the early fourteenth century and existed as a Naval rank until 1852. The development of the warrant officer system began in 1040 when five English ports began furnishing warships to King Edward the Confessor in exchange for certain...
's office, boatswain
Boatswain
A boatswain , bo's'n, bos'n, or bosun is an unlicensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. The boatswain supervises the other unlicensed members of the ship's deck department, and typically is not a watchstander, except on vessels with small crews...
's lockers, a soda fountain
Soda fountain
A soda fountain is a device that dispenses carbonated drinks. They can be found in restaurants, concession stands and other locations such as convenience stores...
, lounges and rest rooms were located on the first or Main deck. The second or Saloon deck included the ballroom and bandstand and an open observation area. The third and fourth decks were terraced observation decks, with two raised steps allowing passengers in the middle of the deck to see over passengers nearer the railings. The top deck also included the pilot house, officer's quarters, life rafts and six life boats.
History
The ship and its identical sister were designed by George G. Sharp in a "streamlined" style. They were built on the Christina River by the Pusey & Jones CorporationPusey and Jones
The Pusey and Jones Corporation was a major ship and equipment manufacturer from 1846 to 1959. Ship building was the primary focus from 1853 until the end of World War II, when the company converted the shipyard to production of paper manufacturing machinery...
in 1923. She was commissioned by Joseph S. Wilson, owner of the Wilson Line and son of Captain Horace Wilson, who were the only father
and son to both serve as mayors of Wilmington.
The ship "entertained and transported" an estimated 20 to 25 million passengers from 1923 to 1960. Movie screens and projectors were added to the top deck in the 1930s. The State of Pennsylvania and its twin, the State of Delaware, were the first steamboats to screen movies, as well as to broadcast radio live. The Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
ballroom and bandstand decorated by Philadelphia's John Wanamaker
John Wanamaker
John Wanamaker was a United States merchant, religious leader, civic and political figure, considered by some to be the father of modern advertising and a "pioneer in marketing." Wanamaker was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Biography:He was born on July 11, 1838.He opened his first store in...
were popular and featured the Pennsylvania Polka as the ship's unofficial theme song.
On June 27, 1938, during the 300th anniversary celebration of the arrival of the first Swedish and Finnish settlers in America, President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
and Swedish Crown Prince (later King) Gustaf Adolf
Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden
Gustaf VI Adolf - Oscar Fredrik Wilhelm Olaf Gustaf Adolf - was King of Sweden from October 29, 1950 until his death. His official title was King of Sweden, of the Goths and of the Wends. He was the eldest son of King Gustaf V and his wife Victoria of Baden...
and the Crown Princess
Louise Mountbatten
Louise Alexandra Marie Irene Mountbatten became Queen consort of Sweden in 1950 and served as such until her death in 1965...
witnessed the special arrival in Wilmington of the State of Pennsylvania and its guests.
The ship operated mostly on summer excursion routes on the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
and Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay is a major estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the Northeast seaboard of the United States whose fresh water mixes for many miles with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is in area. The bay is bordered by the State of New Jersey and the State of Delaware...
, but during World War II transported shipyard workers in Baltimore and in 1948 re-inaugurated the Wilson Line's route to New York. During the 1950s she sailed out of Philadelphia on educational trips as a "Little Red Floating School House." City Investing Corporation bought the Wilson Line in the 1950s and terminated the Philadelphia-Chester-Wilmington-Riverview Park excursion routes in September 1960, thus ending the State of Pennsylvanias career.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Wilmington, DelawareNational Register of Historic Places listings in Wilmington, DelawareThis is a list of properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Wilmington, Delaware:This page was transferred for reasons of size from National Register of Historic Places listings in New Castle County, Delaware, of which it is an integral part...
External links
- Photos at Old Chester PA, The Wilson Line