Hudson Day Line Model PETER STUYVESANT c.1944

           Hudson River Day Line steamboat PETER STUYVESANT heading downriver from
          Kingston, New York c.1933.


When the WASHINGTON IRVING sanked at New York Harbor June 1, 1926, no plans were made by the Hudson River Day Line to replace her. This decision came as a result of financial constraints to build a vessel of similiar size to the IRVING. However, upon vote, it was able to proceed with a smaller steamboat to serve routes in that portion of the Lower Hudson between New York and Pougkeepsie. Also, the company's vision was to expand its charter business.

PETER STUYVESANT was launched February 2, 1927, from the yard of Pusey and Jones at Wilmington, Delaware. Katharine Olcott, daughter of Day Line owner, Eben E. Olcott , sponsored and christened the vessel -giving her its name. Destined to be the last steamboat ever built for the Hudson River, she made her first round trip from New York to Newburgh on a Saturday afternoon, May 28, 1927.

                   PETER STUYVESANT berthed at her New York Day Line Pier c.1951


The PETER STUYVESANT was designed by J.W. Millard and Brother. Combining normal maritime requirements, with added ammenities, she was attractive to organizations wanting charters for various outings. On the second deck was a bandstand, positioned behind the smokestack wall and the cabin, from there, extended further aft to establish a dance floor. Also, tables could be placed in this room to provide extra dining space away from the regular dining area so that sizable groups could be served.

On the third deck, the carpeted saloon was slightly raised so that passengers could view the scenic river without the obstruction from those on the outside. Also arranged on either side of the saloon were eight parlors.

         Port profile work-in-progress view of the 1:160 scale model of PETER STUYVESANT.
        The Saloon Deck is being worked on.

Steel-hulled, she was propellor driven with a single screw. Her measurements were 269 ft. with a 60 ft. beam and a draft of 13 ft.5 inches. She was supplied with steam by four Babcock and Wilcox oil-fired, water-tube boilers.

In September 1932, as a result of the Depression, the Day Line made operational changes to employ PETER STUYVESANT, parttime on the New York-Albany run. Between the seasons of 1948 and '49, the Line was acquired by new owners who maintained regular service up the river as far as Poughkeepsie. In 1955, due to financial constraints, only two steamboats operated on the Hudson: ALEXANDER HAMILTON and PETER STUYVESANT.

Following the season of 1962, ownership changed and the vessels were purchased by New York's Circle Line. In 1963 PETER STUYVESANT was no longer placed in commission and was later acquired by Anthony Athanas, proprieter of a Boston waterfront restaurant, Anthony's Pier 4.

"The Delaware Steamboater" was a piblication that surfaced during the 1980s to bring both awareness and support to the steamboat community relative to vessels that needed preservation.

It was also instrumental in fundraising during a time when many citizens on the East Coast heralded these prolific vessels. Unfortunately, as the decade of the '90s arrived, interest in preserving the steamboat declined and many vessels were lost to the scrap-yards.









In 1968, after necessary conversion, the steamboat was placed in a underwater cradle constructed to provide maximum protection. She served as an annex to accommodate large groups and regular patrons whom were waiting for tables. Her final days ended when a great winter storm clipped the Northeast on February 7, 1978. There, at Boston Harbor, she sanked.

             Author's scale model of PETER STUYVESANT showing her private parlors on
            the promenade deck.


The model that I researched and constructed show the prolific steamboat as she appeared in 1944 during the war years. Travel on the Hudson River was popular and it gave many citizens the opportunity to enjoy their outings and view the scenic river during that troubled period.

                      Stern Port Profile of PETER STUYVESANT, Wood Model -Scratchbuilt

The model is produced in bass and pine woods. Scratchbuilt, it has an overall length of 20 inches.

For more information about commissioning a fine quality Hudson River or Northeast steamboat model email: Caseships@yahoo.com or call 1-774-757-7137. You may also visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/rexstewart

A Rare Model Steamboat -JACOB H. TREMPER c.1886

       Freight steamer JACOB H. TREMPER in Rondout Creek -Kingston, New York c.1886


The JACOB H. TREMPER was a popular sidewheeler that operated on the Hudson River during the late 19th and early 20th century. When reading articles, including those written by friend and author Donald C. Ringwald, I became curious why little was mentioned about this particular steamboat.

Three years passed since reading about the TREMPER, and by chance I discovered photos of this vessel in the archives of the Albany Institute of History and Art. The photo showed the steamer docked at Albany's pier in the early 1900s. The following year another photo surfaced from a bookstore across the river in Troy, New York -and, several months later more photos were found which now escalated my curiosity.

As data began to build, I learned that an elder riverman whom lived downriver had an extensive Collection on steamboat memorabilia -including vintage glass plates on river activity. At the urging of supporters I went to visit this gentlemen at his home in Kingston, New York. After viewing this outstanding material, Mr. Herman Boyle and I came upon many highly detailed and interesting photos of JACOB H. TREMPER.

Mr. Boyle told me how popular and valuable the vessel was to the river and the region. He then presented me a copy of George Murdocks' 1939 article.  After reading, I set out to research all the photos I acquired and then set to motion the preliminary sketches for the deck layout of this steamboat. Because of this vessel's unique design, several attempts were made to space the windows accurately to be insync with the hogframes and cabin configurations.

There were times when I had to step away from the area to get my bearings in order to re-work the plans. I now knew what it was like to be a draftsman and incorporate countless hours in a specific detail. One flaw, in scale, could ruin an entire project. What made this assignment special was, no models existed on this popular steamboat. It was to be the only accurate and rare model in the entire Hudson Valley.

          JACOB H. TREMPER Sectional Profile Plan -researched and drawn by author


The JACOB H. TREMPER was built in 1885 by Herbert Lawrence at Greenpoint, New York -the place where my father lived out his years. Her engine was constructed by W.A. Fletcher Company of New York. She was 180 feet long with a beam breadth of 30 feet. Her gross tonnage was 572. She carried a vertical beam engine which had a cyclinder diameter of 44 inches with a ten foot stroke.

TREMPER was built for the firm of Romer and Tremper of Rondout to be used as both freight and passenger steamboat. The service would be between the cities of Newburgh and Albany. The steamer was to run in line with the M. MARTIN, replacing EAGLE which was destroyed by fire two years prior.

         JACOB H. TREMPER passing Knickerbocker Dock on the Lower Hudson c.1906


The new steamboat proved to be a fine and exceptional vessel for the purpose forwhich she was built. She had a large freight capacity and fine accommodations for passengers -and these ammenities soon made themselves evident by the TREMPER being first to appear on the river in the spring of the year and the last to be laid up in the fall.

Romer and Tremper sold their fleet of steamboats in 1899 to the Central Hudson Steamboat Company in Newburgh. Serving this company, she had only one accident. This occurred on Monday morning, July 21, 1913. On that morning, JACOB H. TREMPER left Newburgh for Albany. As she steamed north she struck an unchartered rock off Esopus Island. The captain quickly ordered her course for the mud flats off Staatsburg on the east side of the river where she sanked. She was eventually raised, repaired and began her regular run in 1916 under the command of Captain John Dearstyne.

The JACOB H. TREMPER was one of the last sidewheel steamboats of her class to continue in service on the waters of the Hudson River. In the Fall of 1928 the vessel was deemed unfit and laid up at Newburgh. The following year she was sold and broken up by a dealer in the same city.

Scale Model of Hudson River Steamboat JACOB H. TREMPER as she appeared in 1886

 For more information about commissioning a fine quality Hudson River or Northeast steamboat model email:Caseships@yahoo.com or call 1-774-757-7137. You may also visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/rexstewart

Building the WASHINGTON IRVING c.1913 -A Wood Model

                 Steamer WASHINGTON IRVING heading up the Hudson River enroute
               to Albany, New York c.1921


Though I have enjoyed building accurate models of various marine craft, nothing has been more exciting or captivating in concept as that of the American steamboat.  My first humble beginnings to modelmaking began with a small Pyro kit of Henry Hudson's HALF MOON.
That was the introduction to the Hudson River and the great history of travel, commerce and its scenic views which were second to none.

As my interest developed concerning the river's maritime, my skills paralleled. Over time I would become the leading modelmaker and producer of Northeast steamboats; particularly those of Hudson River renown.


WASHINGTON IRVING was a steamboat that many SSHSA members brought to my attention during the early professional years.
Author Donald C. Ringwald, writer of the book "The Mary Powell", often mentioned the possibility of a model but always placed emphasis on the IRVING. However, it was Donald Eberle, former President of SSHSA, that commissioned the work.

I would later learn that she was the flagship of the Hudson River Day Line.

She was launched in 1912 at Camden, New Jersey by the New York Shipbuilding Company.
Her keel was 405 feet long with an overall length of 416 feet. She had an extreme beam of 84 feet over the guards, and her hold was 24 feet deep. Her gross tonnage was 3,104 and her engine was constructed by W. and A. Fletcher Company of Hoboken, New Jersey.

Destined exclusively for dayboat service between New York City and Albany, WASHINGTON IRVING was the largest and most exquisitely furnished inland steamer in the world. Her passenger capacity at that time was 6,000. She ran in line with the other fleet vessels of renown "MARY POWELL", "ALBANY", "ROBERT FULTON", and "HENDRICK HUDSON".

                      Sinking of the Day Line stmr. WASHINGTON IRVING, June 1926

On June 1, 1926 WASHINGTON IRVING left her Desbrosses Street Pier in New York bound for Albany with 200 passengers in a fog-filled harbor.

Visibility was very poor and the large steamer kept her whistle at short bursts to warn other pilots of her departure. The tug THOMAS E. MORAN of the Moran Towing Company was hauling two oil barges when one of them collided into IRVING's portside wheelhouse aft of its paddlewheel. The accident forced Captain David H. Deming to tie down his whistle for the purpose of summoning aid from other craft in the harbor.

The continuous blast of WASHINGTON IRVING's whistle immediately brought a dozen vessels to her side. As she took in water, the ill-fated Dayliner reached a pier on the Jersey side of the river. There, passengers were able to race swiftly for safety -to the loss of life to a mother and child.

WASHINGTON IRVING sank along side the pier -coming to rest at the end of the Holland Tunnel. The following year she was raised and six years later she was scrapped , ending her short-lived service of 14 years.

There were many steamboats that met tragic fates, but none so horrific as the burning of GENERAL SLOCUM on the East River in New York City or the sinking of New England's PORTLAND off Block Island with
all loss of life.

Given these tragedies, steamboating was still a bustling business and a safe way to commute. As both historian and artist/craftsman, I'm obligated to produce detailed works of these once magnificent vessels. WASHINGTON IRVING being no exception.

After much refined research, I started to scale down the little details and reconfigure the plan profile that was lent to me by the SSHSA President. From thse resources I was able to build a beautiful miniature of the Day Line flagship.

                 Hudson River Day Line WASHINGTON IRVING c.1913, Wood Model

Detail, whether large or small, has always been the focal point to my building. I decided to construct the IRVING as she appeared in 1913 because of the significance of her lines.
Steamboats were always changing with various alterations done to them. To really appreciate a vessel, it is pertinent to investigate its history and utilize what resources are available to bring out the best appearance. This, in my professional opinion, was her best presentation.

                                             WASHINGTON IRVING -Bow Profile

I truly learned much from constructing this work, and continue to unravel more history as I build. This is the beauty of being a historian and it's a double blessing when a skill can be added -such as modelmaking.

There's really little that can be said when viewers and collectors observe these miniatures.
These are accurate renditions of the actual vessels and I'm honored to bring them into 'today' -something that can be visualized in three dimensional form rather than being limited to the pages and canvases of history.

For more information about commissioning a fine quality Hudson River or Northeast steamboat model email: Caseships@yahoo.com or call 1-774-757-7137. You may also visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/rexstewart.

Building The Model -Nightboat CITY OF TROY c.1876

                                 Nightboat CITY OF TROY at dock -Troy, New York c.1890

Hudson River steamboats were legendary on the river. People enjoyed travelling on them as well as watching from the shoreline. Some accounts say that the steamboat whistle was like a clock for releasing school children from school in the Lower Hudson Valley. Other accounts state that it gave warning of the vessels arrival which could be heard miles inland from the banks. Whatever the reason, the steamboat was a vital part of America's past.

As I listened to the elder rivermen tell me their stories of these great sidewheelers, there was no room for doubt that I would be overwhelmed by the appearance of these vessels. One such boat I probably would have enjoyed watching as it passed the Albany shoreline would be CITY OF TROY. She, at that time, operated for the People's Line of her namesake city.

I remember, during the '80s, viewing a large photo of her displayed in the lobby of Troy's City Hall while exhibiting at the city's Art Festival. There she was in all her glory -docked at her Troy pier. She was a beautiful, fine-looking steamboat worth producing as a model. But not just a 'model' -a finely detailed work would be my goal to salute the gifts God placed in men to design and build such a vessel.

                     
                            Placing the paddlewheel in the open cavity of the "C of T" guards.

After much investigating and research, I spoke with author Anthony Peluso who published a book on the famous steamboat painters John and James Bard. These artists were known for their colorful documentations of river steamers that operated on both the Hudson and East Rivers of New York. Many of their works were commissioned either by the companies that owned them or by the captains which sailed them.

Mr. Peluso stated that I could get the colorscheme from the Bard paintings but that I would have to investigate and find, if possible, the records of the vessel in the hopes of getting blueprints. I searched data banks and finally communicated with the President of the Steamship Historical Society and found little information to support the steamboats' reconstruction.

To this end, with what limited photos and references I had to work with, I set out to begin the process of building the first CITY OF TROY steamboat model...and the only one of it's kind in the entire Hudson River Valley.

I decided to use the above photo, enlarging it at the local printers to finally give me a reference for detailing an accurate profile to scale.
Once this was accomplished, the profile became the tool that I needed to research and design the deck plans which would lend to this important replica to be, in essence, 95 percent accurate.

From this experience I learned how to configure widths and lengths based solely on photos and various angles of the vessel represented in them, re: CITY OF TROY.

Careful study went into the hogframe system which, by most accounts, even in the actual vessel, is one of the most difficult  building processes to address. I spent countless hours  experimenting with those lines that ran from spars, smokestacks and frames to achieve the exact configurations that were evident in the photo. Angled views helped to some degree, but it was the countless drawings and deck corrections that became the ruling authority in this proceedure.

Very few builders of steamboats can achieve this, simply because it takes patience and passion. I've been fortunate to establish a timetable for the build -based on configurations. It took two months to draft the plans and two months to build the model. This is approximately the time-frame for a custom, one of a kind work. If the plans are available, whether by my hand or someone's database, the build would take less time.

This is the final result of the work, the CITY OF TROY as she appeared in 1876.

Here, the detail is present in close-up, showing the hogframe system and the complicated tie-rods that keep the guards of the steamboat strengthened so that the boilers and cabins remain alligned. The guards extended away from the hull and were supported beneath by knees and strakes. But the above strength had to come from the hogframes and tie-rods.

Designers of the day were brilliant. In all my models, to date, I'm blessed to have had (and continue to have) the opportunity to shadow how they built these vessels. CITY OF TROY is one of my best pieces but not the best piece. There are 'many' that only a historian will be able to discover should that individual be willing to search.


For more information about commissioning a fine quality Hudson River steamboat model email: Caseships@yahoo.com or call 1-774-757-7137. You may also visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/rexstewart

Hudson River Day Line Models

                       
                          Steamboat ROBERT FULTON approaching New York City c.1950

The Hudson River Day Line was one of the most recognized steamboat lines in New York's industrialized maritime. This historic organization was established in 1856 by Van Santvoord when he purchased the steamer ALIDA -followed by sidewheelers ARMENIA and DANIEL DREW to control the dayboat monoply between Albany and New York City.

                            ROBERT FULTON c.1950  -Detail, Port View...wood model

By the end of 1863, operating as passenger-only vessels, these boats established what was known as the Hudson River Day Line. This service continued until 1948.

The models that I've built and, continue to build, celebrate this Line known during it's heydey as "The Great White Fleet". These are one-of-a-kind collectibles that are rarely seen in today's maritime venues or the Hudson Valley where they once travelled.


Plans are obsolete for these steamboats; yet, I have been able to research and produce these models with the assistance of those former personages who were once affiliated with these vessels -either as owners, authors or collectors.




   DayLiner HENDRICK HUDSON  c.1943


I have used various scales of modelbuilding in pursuit of bringing an era of maritime history to our present day  viewers/ collectors.

These quality pieces have garnished museum collections, boardrooms, homes and vacational resorts throughout the Northeast.

The Day Line era has only been one generation away from ceasing when the last American steamboat ALEXANDER

HAMILTON made her last trip up the Hudson River from New York City to Bear Mountain in 1971 -ending the era of that great line.

                      Day Line Steamboat WASHINGTON IRVING c.1913,  Wood Model

                                 Day Line Steamboat ALEXANDER HAMILTON c.1959
                                      Scale 3/32" = 1' , Wood Model -Scratchbuilt

These models, which have become sentimental to those who knew the vessels, are still produced today in greater detail and scope. They are a legacy to America's past and gives tribute to our great Industrial Age.

As a builder and artist, I've been fortunate to have had the experience to study, research and produce these models, firsthand. To know that the Hudson River was once graced with these beautiful steamboats of times past.

For more information about commissioning a fine quality Hudson River or Northeast steamboat model email: Caseships@yahoo.com or call 1-774-757-7137. You may also visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/rexstewart