Island Home was built in 1855 in Greenpoint, New York.[1] Its machinery was manufactured at the Morgan Iron Works in New York. Leonard Merritt, superintending engineer of the New Haven Steamboat Company, supervised the machinery construction.[2]
Island Home first arrived at Nantucket on September 5, 1855 under the command of Capt. Thomas Brown. It was the first purchase of the new Nantucket and Cape Cod Steamboat Co., which had been formed from the Nantucket Steamboat Co. earlier that year when the new railroad terminus wharf was built in Hyannis, Massachusetts. It was 184 feet long, with a 29'8" beam and measured 536 tons. It initially sailed the waters between Hyannis and Nantucket.[2][3][4][5] Capt. Brown had previously commanded the island ferry steamers Eagle's Wing and Massachusetts. He was followed by Capt. Nathan Manter (1818–1897), who commanded the Island Home for thirty years.[2]
Island Home is listed in the American Lloyd's Register of American and Foreign Shipping during 1859-1863 as a 450-ton, single-decked vessel. The 1858 New-York Marine Register lists the Island Home as a 536-ton vessel.[1]
Island Home sailed the Nantucket-Hyannis route until the completion of the Woods Hole branch of the Old Colony Railroad in 1872; it subsequently sailed between Woods Hole and Nantucket.[2]
Island Home was sold by the New Bedford, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket Steamboat Co. in 1895 or 1896 (sources vary.)[4]
Records of the Island Home resurfaced in the 1897-1900 editions of Record of American and Foreign Shipping as a 184' long, 30-ton vessel. Its owner was listed as Mt. Vernon & Marshall Hall S.B. Co., its homeport as New Bedford, and its master as Capt. N. H. Manter.[1]
For six years or so, Island Home operated as a work barge for R.B. Little Co. of Providence. In 1902 it was damaged by an ice floe off New Jersey or Rhode Island (sources vary) and sank.[6][7]
Reuse of name
In 2007, a new diesel-powered car ferry named MV Island Home started service between Martha's Vineyard and Woods Hole. It was named after this 19th-century steamer.
Turner, Harry B. The Story of the Island Steamers (The Inquirer and Mirror Press, 1910)[2]
February 24, 2023
island, home, steamboat, island, home, sidewheel, steamer, operating, ferry, serving, islands, martha, vineyard, nantucket, during, second, half, nineteenth, century, island, home, from, 1890s, souvenir, booklethistoryunited, statesnameisland, homeoperatornant. The Island Home was a sidewheel steamer operating as a ferry serving the islands of Martha s Vineyard and Nantucket during the second half of the nineteenth century Island Home from an 1890s souvenir bookletHistoryUnited StatesNameIsland HomeOperatorNantucket and Cape Cod Steamboat CompanyIn serviceSeptember 1855Out of service1895 or 1896FateSold Struck ice floe and sank 1902General characteristicsTypePassenger ferryTonnage536 tonsLength184 ft 56 m Beam29 ft 8 in 9 04 m Propulsion1 120 nhp vertical beam steam engineIsland Home circa 1895 Captain Thomas Brown Contents 1 Nantucket ferry service 2 Martha s Vineyard ferry service 3 Later service 4 Reuse of name 5 ReferencesNantucket ferry service EditIsland Home was built in 1855 in Greenpoint New York 1 Its machinery was manufactured at the Morgan Iron Works in New York Leonard Merritt superintending engineer of the New Haven Steamboat Company supervised the machinery construction 2 Island Home first arrived at Nantucket on September 5 1855 under the command of Capt Thomas Brown It was the first purchase of the new Nantucket and Cape Cod Steamboat Co which had been formed from the Nantucket Steamboat Co earlier that year when the new railroad terminus wharf was built in Hyannis Massachusetts It was 184 feet long with a 29 8 beam and measured 536 tons It initially sailed the waters between Hyannis and Nantucket 2 3 4 5 Capt Brown had previously commanded the island ferry steamers Eagle s Wing and Massachusetts He was followed by Capt Nathan Manter 1818 1897 who commanded the Island Home for thirty years 2 Island Home is listed in the American Lloyd s Register of American and Foreign Shipping during 1859 1863 as a 450 ton single decked vessel The 1858 New York Marine Register lists the Island Home as a 536 ton vessel 1 Island Home sailed the Nantucket Hyannis route until the completion of the Woods Hole branch of the Old Colony Railroad in 1872 it subsequently sailed between Woods Hole and Nantucket 2 Martha s Vineyard ferry service EditIn March 1886 the Island Home became one of the initial four steamers operating for the newly organized New Bedford Martha s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamboat Co 4 The other three were River Queen Martha s Vineyard and Monohansett Later service EditIsland Home was sold by the New Bedford Martha s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamboat Co in 1895 or 1896 sources vary 4 Records of the Island Home resurfaced in the 1897 1900 editions of Record of American and Foreign Shipping as a 184 long 30 ton vessel Its owner was listed as Mt Vernon amp Marshall Hall S B Co its homeport as New Bedford and its master as Capt N H Manter 1 For six years or so Island Home operated as a work barge for R B Little Co of Providence In 1902 it was damaged by an ice floe off New Jersey or Rhode Island sources vary and sank 6 7 Reuse of name EditIn 2007 a new diesel powered car ferry named MV Island Home started service between Martha s Vineyard and Woods Hole It was named after this 19th century steamer References EditNotes a b c Ship and Yacht Register Search Archived 2007 07 02 at the Wayback Machine a b c d Turner Harry B The Story of the Island Steamers The Inquirer and Mirror Press 1910 1 By the Sea Folk Paintings by Janet Munro a b c Vineyard Gazette Online permanent dead link Marie Fox Folk Art Fine Prints amp Paintings Nantucket Island Archived from the original on 2007 06 03 Retrieved 2007 07 04 By the Sea Folk Paintings by Janet Munro Marie Fox Folk Art Fine Prints amp Paintings Nantucket Island Archived from the original on 2007 06 03 Retrieved 2007 07 04 BibliographyReprint of a 1906 article in the Vineyard Gazette permanent dead link Reprint of a 1940 article in the Vineyard Gazette Mystic Seaport G W Blunt White Library Ship amp Yacht Register Turner Harry B The Story of the Island Steamers The Inquirer and Mirror Press 1910 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Island Home steamboat amp oldid 1138627198, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
