Vintage Photo: Ticonderoga Steam Ship

Ticonderoga Steam Ship (Credit: Unknown; Shared by Susie Drinkwine)

Every Monday we share a vintage image on the Essex on Lake Champlain Facebook page and invite our viewers to play some Vintage Essex Trivia. Last week we shared the photo of the ship Ticonderoga above. (Thanks to Susie Drinkwine for sharing it with us!)

Do you recognize this ship? When (if ever) did it visit Essex, NY? Did you ever ride it? When do you think this photo was taken? Do you know what has become of it? It is still in operation?

Here’s what the community has already had to say, and they answered many of the questions asked above and filled in many blanks:

Christine Herrmann: The “Ti” was a passenger steamship, a side-wheeler. We would ride it once each summer when the schedule offered a round trip cruise from Essex to Westport. The “Ti” was taken off the lake in the early 1950s.

Dianne Lansing: I don’t think it was considered a ferry. Didn’t carry cars. I rode on it in the mid 50’s and it still smelled the same when I went aboard when it was first at Shelburne Museum. That was sort of like going to a funeral…..it just wasn’t right.

John Goodroe: I was a passenger when I was about 10 years old, years ago

Tod Crouter: From my mother…It looks like a boat that took people around the Lake in the late 30s. But I remember it as having paddle wheels. It took only passengers not vehicles. I remember being picked up in Essex, being taken to Burlington for the day and returning to Essex in the afternoon. We were on foot in Burlington.

Jack Halpin: The Ti offered trips to Westport and back, Drinks and dancing. Fun for a 12 year old going on 18 in the late 1930’s.

So from the quality of the photo and the comments above it’s safe to say that this photo was taken in the early 1900s. Some online searching led me to discover that the Ticonderoga was launched in 1906 and Christine was right that it was retired from Lake Champlain in the early 1950s. It now has a home in the Shelburne Museum in Vermont. I believe it has been restored. If you’re interested you can go visit it there!

Do you have more information or memories to share? Leave a comment below.

Share Your Essex Artifacts

If you want to share your old photos of Essex (or brochures; postcards; menus; tickets; any artifact) on the blog please email us at editor [AT] essexonlakechamplain [DOT] com.

Vox Pops

Photographer and part-time Adirondack Coast resident Eve Ticknor sent us this recollection of the Ticonderoga.

My sister and I rode the Ti with my parents shortly before it was retired. Much later I went onto it once it was in the Shelburne Museum. It looked and felt very differently from what I remembered, probably due to the lengthy time span and my being much older, not to mention being on land! ~ Eve Ticknor

Thanks, Eve, for sharing your memories.

Vintage Photo: Ticonderoga Ferry (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Photo: Steamer Vermont (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Postcard: Windsor Ferry (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Lake Champlain Winterscapes (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Photo: Essex Waterfront with Ferry to South (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)

About Katie Shepard

Passionate about reading and writing stories, Katie Shepard enjoys discovering more about her home while writing and editing for Essex on Lake Champlain. Katie graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh in 2011 where she studied English literature, philosophy, and Asian studies. Her first book Essex, New York Architecture: A Doodler's Field Guide was published in 2015. Connect with her on Facebook or at Linked.in. Or email her at katie [@] essexeditions [dot] com.