Nomination for BOECKLING, G.A., (side-paddlewheel steamboat)

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 National Park Service received JAN 3 I 1983 2. Location N/A vicinity of city, town _ state - county - - public X unoccupied - agriculture X museum piece X private _ commercial x work in progress X object in process - yes: unrestricted - government - military 121 44th Street, Sandusky, Ohio 44870 street & number P.O. Box 736 5. Location of Legal Description courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. street & number has this property been determined eligible?

- yes .federal both Category Accessible transportation None date code structure Sandusky site industrial religious Status Ownership entertainment Public Acquisition district other: being considered (3-82) Erie County Courthouse park title private residence building(s) Ohio scientific date entered Inventory-Nomination Form Xeducational Present Use National Register of Historic Places Friends of the Boeckling Type all entries-complete applicable sections Mrs. Gordon Wendt 3. Classification 323 Columbus Avenue See instructions in How to Complete National Register Forms 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Contact: N/A not for publication depository for survey records street & number Jackson Street Dock For NPS use only NPS Form 10-900 4. Owner of Property United States Department of the Interior 1. Name BOECKLING, G.

A., _ local and/or common The Boeckling Erie 83001959 historic Side-paddlewheel steamboat _ excellent - altered - original site _ moved date This object was a double-ended, side-loading, side paddlewheel steamboat with steel hull, paddlewheel box and open engine area and a walkway aft of the engine which afforded passen- deck was reached by 2 wide oak-paneled staircases fore and aft from the main deck leading to än enclosed oak-paneled cabin with built-in oak benches around the perimeter.

Other cabin windows, large square oak support columns at each end of the cabin and around the smokestack, ornate ceiling panels with 3 light fixtures, 30 single-bulb side light fixtures, 4 sliding oak doors to outer deck, brass treads on door sills with nailhead decoration and monogram ment (hoses, water connections, fire buckets in wooden holders, axes) placed strategically fore and aft, oak-turned support posts, cork life preservers stored overhead, single-bulb pilot house; davits for lifeboats- (2 boats originally, later 4, still later 2 again), 4 clerestory windows looked out on the boat deck. chairs, restroom fixtures, outer deck benches, life preservers, fire-fighting equipment (water Condition unexposed fair morning to after midnight so eating and sleeping accommodations for crew were necessary). 7.

Description bulkheads and main deck; second and boat decks and other superstructure was wood.Please connections and holders for these remain).All electric fixtures remain and are in working Outer deck was canvas covered.Other outer deck features:painted wooden benches placed ted just forward and aft of steel bulkheads which housed the paddlewheels and restrooms. chairs and later on wooden benches.Other features:a corridor along each side between the Check one see attached fact sheet for dimensions. galley forward,4 cabins with built-in bunks and shower room aft operated from early Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance

Description of the property

athwartships all around the sides and folding chairs),fire-fighting equip- The main deck was open at the bow and stern for passenger seating - originally on folding (1 red and 1 green on each side necessary to indicate the direction she was running at the features:.70sliding windows which dropped down behind the benches when opened,36 clerestory Canada and abroad for a replacement engine or the plans for the original one. and "Texas"house fore and aft, navigation bridge:forward of each .ruins light fixtures evenly spaced around deck ceiling, ladder fore and aft to boat deck, wire the pilothouses - later beside the smokestack), running lightsat extreme end of each bridge The second Present condition: To make room for storage during its service as a floating warehouse, the tween main and second decks.

Returned with the boat were: 1 paddlewheel hub, engine expan- visible, and the pilot and "Texas" houses are now under construction and will be completed built soon. Fortunately the hold, main and second decks and second-deck cabin are virtually time), white range light atop each pilothouse, spotlights fore and aft, wire railings around boat deck and bridges, extreme ends of bridges were equipped with bell pulls connected to sion tank, mooring bits, miscellaneous fittings, engine parts, several benches, 1 nameboard order.

deteriorated intact except for the removal of small items of equipment such as galley stove, ward room signalling devices in engine room so captain could communicate with crew.The second-deck hand and are being used for all restoration work.A search is on in the United States and Below the main deck were the boiler and engine rooms and crew's quarters- ward room and large ventilators,smokestack,4 flagpoles,2whistles,1bell new 1ocated on one of *The pilot and"Texas"houses were placedon the boat deck on August 28th. Areas of Significance-Check and justify below _ prehistoric - archeology-historic - conservation -economics X education .social/ - engineering - music - philosophy The X 1900 - other(specify) Specific dates Builder/Architect Great Lakes Engineering Works, Ecorse,Mich.

Of the hundreds of side-paddlewheel steamboats that plied the Great Lakes for almost a century and a half, the G.A. Boeckling is the only American boat of that type on the Great Lakes today and is one of only 2 remaining - the other being the Trillium which was restored in 1975-6 in because she was loaded from the sides - other ferries (including Trillium) were built to load from the bow and stern. The Boeckling represents a mode of transportation and style of life long since replaced by smaller gasoline or diesel-powered boats, automobiles, airplanes and private yachts. Steamboat travel began on the Great Lakes in 1817 on Lake Ontario and in 1818 on Lake'Erie. With the where he boarded a train forSandusky and then took the steamboat to Buffalo, stopping enroute at Cleveland, Ohio and Erie, Pennsylvania and then boarding another train to Niagara Falls.

more economical than rail and other methods, of transportation. Steamboats, had regularly- appointed "night boats" which furnished overnight accommodations between ports or cruise trips "Day boats" were used for daylight travel and excursions.

Cedar Point was at the end of a long peninsula in Sandusky Bay which could be reached by land, 43 years from 1909 through 1951, and it is estimated that she covered more than 350,000 miles on each trip and differed from that used by conventional sidewheelers which had to back out of In 1952 the Boeckling was replaced on the Cedar Point run by smaller diesel-powered steel boats used as a floating warehouse in Wisconsin from 1952 to the Spring of 1982 when she was towed 1400-1499 1500-1599 commerce 1800-1899 1600-1699 1700-1799 architecture communications invention industry humanitarian exploration/settlement agriculture science military literature sculpture law 8.

Statement of significance

/Architect Great Lakes Engineering Works, Ecorse,Mich. Of the hundreds of side-paddlewheel steamboats that plied the Great Lakes for almost a century and a half, the G.A. Boeckling is the only American boat of that type on the Great Lakes today and is one of only 2 remaining - the other being the Trillium which was restored in 1975-6 in because she was loaded from the sides - other ferries (including Trillium) were built to load from the bow and stern. The Boeckling represents a mode of transportation and style of life long since replaced by smaller gasoline or diesel-powered boats, automobiles, airplanes and private yachts. Steamboat travel began on the Great Lakes in 1817 on Lake Ontario and in 1818 on Lake'Erie.

With the where he boarded a train forSandusky and then took the steamboat to Buffalo, stopping enroute at Cleveland, Ohio and Erie, Pennsylvania and then boarding another train to Niagara Falls. more economical than rail and other methods, of transportation. Steamboats, had regularly- appointed "night boats" which furnished overnight accommodations between ports or cruise trips "Day boats" were used for daylight travel and excursions.

Cedar Point was at the end of a long peninsula in Sandusky Bay which could be reached by land, 43 years from 1909 through 1951, and it is estimated that she covered more than 350,000 miles on each trip and differed from that used by conventional sidewheelers which had to back out of In 1952 the Boeckling was replaced on the Cedar Point run by smaller diesel-powered steel boats used as a floating warehouse in Wisconsin from 1952 to the Spring of 1982 when she was towed 1400-1499 1500-1599 commerce 1800-1899 1600-1699 1700-1799 architecture communications invention industry humanitarian exploration/settlement agriculture science military literature sculpture law 8. Significance to ports and tourist attractions along the Great Lakes and also up the St.Lawrence River. to sources of raw material and produce as well as the rail connections.

Shipping by water was Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) Many ports along the Lakes developed and grew because of their fine harbors and their proximity least every 30 minutes (20 minutes on.busy days),so the saving in time was important. - archeology-prehistoric - X community planning _ religion .art -politics/government X transportation advent of railroads soon thereafter, many rail passengers traveled to port cities where they boarded steamboats which made regularly-scheduled trips to other ports. Charles Dickens re- forth from Sandusky to Cedar Point, a resort established in the 1870s and still operating. but the distance by water was much shorter and boat transportation was more economical, conveni Boeckling was the last of a number of steamboats which made the Cedar Point run.

She ran for calls in his "American Notes" a trip from Cincinnati to Niagara Falls in 1842 involving a stage "reverse" steered from the other pilothouse. This operating procedure saved at least 5 minutes Period landscape architecture back to Sandusky.It is fortunate that another use was found for her these intervening 30 9.

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

Major Bibliographical References 6. Boeckling Log Book United States List of Merchant Vessels Northwest Ohio Research Center, Bowling Green State University Quadrangle name - UT M References 11. Form Prepared By date June 21, 1982; July 30, 1982 street & number 121 44th Street city or town As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89 State Historic Preservation Officer signature J hereby certify that this property is included in the National Register code county Northing Easting amended state date name/title Attest: national 1:24000 local Ohio Acreage of nominated property Less than one acre Sandusky,Ohio.

Builders Drawings from American Ship Building Co.,successor to Great Lakes Engineering Works Chief of Registration Entered in tha List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries Quadrangle scale 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification Sandusky newspapers: Sandusky Register and Star Journal organization Friends of the Boeckling The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: 10. Geographical Data Marine History recordsof Captain Frank Hamilton and Gordon Wendt due to its movable nature.The boat is moored on the north shore of Sandusky Bay, For NPs use only L3/ 516L71615 Barbara K. Wendt, Advisory Committee date fam 20,1983 Zone U.S.

Geological map is the most exact location which can be established for the G.A.Boeckling 665),I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated National Regtston SHPO OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 Far NPS use only Sandusky, Erie Co., Ohio Item number 8 Page 2 condition, using original plans. She will be used for educational purposes as part of a developed by American Cities Corporation for the revitalization of the City's downtown- arrival of the first steamboat, the Walk-in-the-Water, in 1818. Interest in this project is international in scope, and endorsements and support have been received from many, including: National Trust for Historic Preservation, American Clipper Trust, Inc. - Annapolis, Maryland; Ohio Historic Preservation Office - Columbus; Great Lakes County Commissioners, The City of Sandusky.

(3-82) Inventory-Nomination Form years as most other steel-hull boats were scrapped soon after decommissioning. Boeckling reflecting Sandusky's interesting history as a thriving port beginning with the National Register of Historic Places marine museum to be established on Sandusky's waterfront in connection with plans recently Friends of Nobska -Cranston,R.I;Marine Historical Society of Detroit; Senator John Glenn United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Continuation sheet BOECKLING, G.A. Ohio;Congressman Don J.Pease-13th District Ohio;Governor James A.Rhodes-Ohio;Erie date entered Work is already in progress to restore the Boeckling as closely as possible to her original NPS Form 10-900-a received Hull No.

63 Keel Laid: March 25, 1909 Left Yard: June 17, 1909 Christened: June 26, 1909 Official number: 206423 Length overall: 155'2' Beam extreme: 48' Bean moulded riveted hull: 30' Trim tanks (2): 19.6 tons total Depth moulded: 9' Sheer: 3" each end Freeboard: 3'6" Draft (load): 5'6" Tons per inch: 9.55 Prism. -707 Engine type: Inclined compound reciprocationg condensing Date of build: 1887 (rebuilt 1909) Str. SHREWSBURY (later NEW YORK) US 116152 Engine no. Ind. H.P. : 600 installed in G.A. BOECKLING. 12'10" C to C of floats 10 floats 30" x 6'10" on each wheel Boiler type: Scotch firetube Steam pressure: 120 lbs. Draft: Positive cold Furnaces: (2) 48" diameter H.S.: 1584.3 Boiler no.: G.S.: 42 Date of build: 1909 Built by: John Brennan & Co., Detroit, Michigan Tensile strength: 60,000# Joints: Triple riveted VESSEL REMARKS: Name changes: none of the summer season in 1951.

She was sold in 1952 to Peterson Builders, Inc. of Deadweight: Capacities: Sandusky, Erie Co., Ohio Thickness of plate: .751 Displacement: 54l net tons in the process of being restored. Gross tonnage: 328 Master Sheet and General Description of the STEAMER G.A.BOECKLING was 1222. Rig:Steamer-Steel-Side paddle-wheeler - double-ended-two passenger decks Passengers: 1500 Net tonnage: 157 Ecorse (Detroit) Michigan and returned to Sandusky Bay on Juno ll by the tug William A.Whitney.BOECKLING is Vessel could carry in excess of 20o0 passengers. Total allowed at time of retirement Sandusky, Ohio Deck area: 10,300 sq.ft. "abandoned".Purchased in 1982 from Peterson Builders by the Friends of the Boeckling Remarks: Engine built in 1887 for Built by: Length on waterline:152' Engine removed from NEw YORK in 1909 and Friends of the Boeckling, Inc. Sandusky, Oh. 1982- Steamer G. A.

BOECKLING ran from Sandusky, Ohio across Sandusky Bay (2} miles) to Cedar Built by: Great Lakes Engineering Works Cylinder and stroke: 25= - 44*" x 72" Peterson Builders, Inc., Sturgeon Bay, Wisc. 1952-1982 Owmers: Point and amusement park) for 42 years. She was retired from service at the end John Roen IV to be used as a floating warehouse.Removed from documentation in 1953 as Propelling:(2) Sidewheels- 16'6" in diameter and 6'10" in width - feathering FRIENDS OF THE BOECKLING SOME MEMORABLE PHOTOS IN THE LIFE OF SANDUSKY'S MOST FAMOUS STEAMER THE CHRISTENING PARTY June 26, 1909 RETURNING TO SANDUSKY FROM THE LORAIN SHIPYARDS - 1945 THE BOECKLING'S DOCK AT CEDAR POINT THE UNFORGETTABLE ENGINE ROOM STEAMING ACROSS SANDUSKY BAY In The 1940's July 10, 1952 PREPARING TO LEAVE FOR STURGEON BAY Sandusky, EYALUATION / RETURN SHEE Boeckling, G. A., (Side-paddlewheel steamboat) Fed. Reg.

Date: Recom. / Criteria - _see continuation sheet - technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussad below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 7. Description REJECT Entered in the National Register summary paragraph completeness RETURN Action: alterations/integrity nomination by person or local government Reviewer Discipline owner objection 6. Representation in Existing Surveys resubmission Erie County Federal Agency: Nomination returned for: clarity IATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES dates Date Duo: - sample appeal Substantive Review: Date Due: ruins 2.7-84 Clarity justification of exception 11. Form Prepared By - Photographs - Date - context checked Signed Maps completeness Other applicable criteria the resource relationship of integrity summary paragraph 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification 9.

Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data 8. Significance Phone: 202 272 - 350- justification of areas Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet G.A.BOECKLING G.A. BOECKLING Sandusky, Erie Co., Ohio August 1982 View: Historic Photograph during G.A. Boeckling's years of service Ken Chamberlain Negs: Sandusky, Ohio View: SERVICE G.A. BOECKLING Sandusky, Erie Co., Ohio View: G.A. Boeckling shortly after returning to Sandusky, Ohio Ken Chamberlain August 1982 Free Lance Photographer SANDUSKY 626-5174 Negs: Sandusky, Ohio View: WAS ARouNd CEIliNg G.A. BOECKLING Sandusky, Erie Co., Ohio Negs: Sandusky, Ohio View: G.A. Boeckling, second deck August 1982 Free Lance Photographer Ken Chamberlain SANDUSKY 626-5174 G.A. BOECKLING Negs: Sandusky, Ohio View: G.A.

Boeckling, second deck cabin Free Lance Photographer August 1982 SANDUSKY 626-5174 Ken Chamberlain Sandusky, Erie Co., Ohio G.A. BOECKLING Sandusky, Erie Co., Ohio Negs: Sandusky, Ohio View: G.A. Boeckling, second deck cabin Ken Chamberlain August 1982 Free Lance Photographer SANDUSKY 626-5174 G.A. BOECKLING Sandusky, Erie Co., Ohio View: Rehabilitation work, constructing new pilot and "Texas" houses Free Lance Photographer August 1982 Ken Chamberlain SANDUSKY 626-5174 Negs: Sandusky, Ohio ANd "TEXAS ThESE G.A. Boeckling UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SANDUSKY QUADRANGLE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SANDUSKY, OHIO STATE OF OHIO 7.5 MINUTE SERIES (TOPOGRAPHIC Sandusky, Erie Co, Ohiawz UTM reference : +7356765 4590800 August 1969