Every week we share a different image on the Essex on Lake Champlain Facebook page and invite our viewers to play some Vintage Essex Trivia.
What do you think of this postcard and the ship featured on it? Can you tell us anything about it?
Here’s what the community had to say already:
Lee C. Parker: This post card is from a Winans Bros., from Basin Harbor, Vt. …google them or the town and see …probably a drug store or dry goods. The steamer is probably a ferry or pleasure boat of the time…around 1910..operating or visiting Basin Harbor. Post Cards usually advertised for things of this…they were ordered and published as advertisement. Deltiology study of picture post cards…fun!😉
The line alongside the left on the front of the postcard reads: “Copyright 1909 by Winans Bros., Basin Harbor, Vt.” Or maybe it’s 1809? If we take a look at the backside of the postcard we can learn more about those brothers — they were actually the builders of the steamboat on the postcard!
The description on the back reads:
“This is a picture of the first Steamboat on Lake Champlain (and the second in teh World.) It was built and launched at Burlington, Vermont, in 1808 and completed as Basin Harbor, Vt. It commenced navigating on the lake in 1809, just 200 years after Champlain had entered its waters in a birch bark canoe.
The owners and builders were two brothers, John and James Winans; it was called the “Vermont;” and was 120 feet long, 20 feet beam, 167 tons measurement; with an engine of 20 horse power, and commanded by Capt. John Winans.”
Interesting history! So this was the first steamboat on Lake Champlain? And the second in the world?! The Winans brothers may have had this postcard commissioned to commemorate the building of their ship. What do you think? Although if it is “1909” on the front of the postcard, perhaps this is a reprint of the original, as that would be 100 years after the ship was built…
Do you have any thoughts to share about this old postcard? Please leave a comment below!
Share Your Essex Artifacts
If you want to share your old photos of Essex (also brochures, postcards, menus, tickets, artifacts, etc.) on the blog please email us at editor [AT] essexonlakechamplain [DOT] com.
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