Construction Site of Steamer Mt Washington

[GodSmile]

Forum Members:
Curious if anyone is aware of the exact location in Alton Bay of the construction of the original Steamer Mt Washington. I'm aware that this vessel as well as other steamer vessels of the day were built in Alton Bay. Have read several books on the subject including those written by the late Bruce Heald, but nowhere have I seen mention of the exact location of the construction site(s).

[LoveLakeLife]

I don’t know the answer but somebody must! I think I remember seeing pictures somewhere.


Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

[Cal-to-NH]

Way-cool. All this time I thought all of the grand steamers who bore the name were brought here from elsewhere.

It would be awesome to see this.....

[Trail Goer]

If you ever go out to Lake George, NY check out the Lake George Steamboat Company, they have three vessels and one of them is a steam powered paddle wheel vessel called the Mini-Ha-Ha. The huff and puff of the steam coming out of the piston vent pipes at the top is cool. They have windows where you can look into the engine room, you can see the boiler, the pistons and drive rods going to the paddle wheel, it's pretty neat. I don't know what they use for fuel, but I know it's not wood or coal, very little smoke if any comes out of the smokestack. When the boat is heading back to the dock, they have several steam whistles that are tuned to play a short song. And when they blow the regular steam whistle, it echoes off the mountains, it’s like a walking back in time. It would be neat if Lake Winnipesaukee had something like that.

[Diver1111]

I looked at my books that say nothing about where exactly it was built:

- Follow The Mount
- Steamboats in Motion
- Three Centuries on Winnipesaukee
- Boats & Ports of Lake Winni Volume 1
- Boats & Ports of Lake Winni-Volume 2
- Farewell Old Mount Washington (Edward H. Blackstone).

I attach a picture from the book Farewell Old Mount Washington of her getting hauled out into dry dock and it sure looks like the end of Alton Bay on the western shore to me judging by the hill across the bay and other things. Furthermore the RR line would be most useful to any steamer business so it makes sense that they would build such a vessel and service such a vessel at the same location close to the RR line but I may be wrong.

I hope the scan I made is oriented correctly to read if not rotate it.

[tis]

Soon after, a local company was formed to build a new ship. Europe was already at war and obtaining steel in the USA was impossible because of pre-war munitions stock-piling. Instead, they purchased an old sidewheel vessel on Lake Champlain: the 1888 Harlan & Hollingsworth-built Chateaugay, a 203-foot (62 m), iron-hulled sidewheeler that was being used as a clubhouse for the Burlington yacht club. It was cut into sections and transported to Lake Winnipesaukee on rail cars. A new twin-screw vessel was designed for the hull being welded back together at Lakeport. Powered by two steam engines taken from another ocean-going yacht, the new Mount Washington made her maiden voyage on August 15, 1940.


M.V. Mount Washington
Two years after her launch, the new Mount's engines and boilers were removed for use in a navy vessel during World War II.[1] After the war, the Mount Washington returned to the water but with diesel engines, hence the "M/V" prefix designating "motor vessel." The ship was a success in the post-war tourist boom although she became a money-maker in the 1980s under the ownership of Scott Brackett.

[Johnston’smobilemarine]

The construction of the steamer was built between the Land Bandstand and where the old roller skating rink was (now condominiums) I will post pictures if we find them .

[Slickcraft]

Originally Posted by Johnston’smobilemarine

The construction of the steamer was built between the Land Bandstand and where the old roller skating rink was (now condominiums) I will post pictures if we find them .

That would be at about the south end of the current town docks.

I was also wondering (with no facts) about Downing's Landing. When Fish & Game was working to have a new boat launch and dock built, there was a very long delay. I think that underwater timbers had to be removed that were remnants of a launch site for a large steamer built on site.

Alan

[Johnston’smobilemarine]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

That would be at about the south end of the current town docks.

I was also wondering (with no facts) about Downing's Landing. When Fish & Game was working to have a new boat launch and dock built, there was a very long delay. I think that underwater timbers had to be removed that were remnants of a launch site for a large steamer built on site.

Alan

You are correct! Lester Downing was my grandfather who built that area into what would become Downing’s landing. My cousin who took over the gas docks told the Fish and Game at the time of sale that there were a lot of remnants of wood a structure at the end of the current ramp however, they didn’t listen and proceeded with their expansion and found out the hard way!