A last link to steamships' past is ancient history
The last operating steamship of the New England Steamship Co.,
"Nobska" was piled on the scrap heap of history in June of 2006.
Where there were once more than 3,000 of these ships, they have
now all been reduced to scrap. "Nobska" was the last
remaining coastal steamship, the final example of that era.
Despite NESF's ongoing efforts to save her, "Nobska" over stayed
her welcome in the Charlestown dock. After 11 years the dock
just had to be freed for other vessels especially the
USS Constitution.
Therefore the National Park Service legally took over
control of the vessel last November, with the option to scrap
her if all else failed.
NESF Chairman and acting President Warren Hartwell,
persisted tirelessly to secure sufficient funds,
about $800,000, to install a dozen new ribs and
complete the seam welding.
But, in the end the money was not forth coming, and
because the under water steelwork was
not completed enough to allow her to float out on her
own bottom no alternative remained.
NESF saved only a very few artifacts. Most importantly a 25 foot section of the keel, additionally her smoke stack and some odds and ends. The triple-expansion steam engine, which was taken out earlier, also remains.
NESF maintains this website, more or less 'as is', in the steamer's memory and the era she stood for.
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