McDougall’s Dream is Saturday
September 21, 2019!
Please join us for an Educational and Fun Event
Click Here for a copy of printed details about the Event
Alexander McDougall
This year marks the 15th Annual “McDougall’s Dream”. This all-day event celebrates local ship builder and entrepreneur Alexander McDougall.
In the late 1880's he came up with an innovative design for a steel-hulled vessel that would ride low in the water and shed the waves off its back like a whale, which gave the vessels their popular name of “whale-back.” McDougall’s American Steel Barge Company built the whale-backs in Superior, near the site of the current Frasier Shipyards. Only one whale-back ship remains – the Meteor – now land-berthed on Barker’s Island and open for tours.
McDougall’s Dream is this Saturday September 21 at the Bong Veterans Historical Center located at 305 Harbor View Parkway Superior WI.
McDougall’s Dream, Saturday, Sept. 21, is a program with daytime talks featuring local maritime topics. Dinner and a silent auction are in the evening. Proceeds help to restore and preserve the Meteor, the last remaining whaleback freighter, and the legacy of Captain Alexander McDougall. The event, 1-8 p.m., also includes music, entertainment and cash bar. At the SS Meteor Whaleback Museum on Barker’s Island, 300 Marina Dr., Superior. Reservations recommended. For reservations and more information, please call 715-394-5712.
Morning Excursion: 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. ($12.00) Only 20 spots available - First Come, First Serve!
Morning excursion group will meet at Glensheen Mansion (3300 London Road, Duluth, Minnesota) by the ticket office. After, we will head to the home of Alexander McDougall.
Diving Bell at Glensheen: We will begin our morning excursion at Glensheen Mansion where we will explore the recently discovered diving bell. For years, it lurked beneath the water and debris in the boat house until this past July when it was lifted and put on display for all to see.
Home of Alexander McDougall: Explore one of Alexander McDougall’s notable homes in Duluth. The home was built in 1910, when Captain McDougall was a widower. Light refreshments available.
Daytime Talks: 1:00 - 4:30 p.m. ($15.00)
Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center: 305 Harborview Parkway, Superior, Wisconsin
Of Patents and Lawyers: Alexander McDougall and the Ore-Washer Case
As a dedicated developer of new machinery and processes to improve existing systems, a great part of Captain McDougall’s life revolved around obtaining patents to these new inventions. While not a poor man, making these homemade devices part of an industry required funding and alliances. After World War I, McDougall engaged with the Oliver Mining Company to create a new system to improve the efficiency of removing iron ore from the surrounding rock. The legal fight over the patent at the twilight of his career provides insight into not only his work, but also his final years as an inventor. Professor Matthew Daley from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, shares his research on the Ore-Washer Case.
SS Christopher Columbus
Such beauty and grace sailed the Great Lakes between 1893 and 1933. Elmer Engman, avid diver for over 50 years, shares his interest of whalebacks during this presentation. Dive into the fascinating history of the SS Christopher Columbus, the most famous whaleback designed and built by Alexander McDougall. Enjoy learning about her role during the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago and life as the only whaleback built for passengers.
What I Learned at School: Lessons on Old Ships
Join Dara Fillmore, Special Projects Coordinator for Superior Public Museums, as she shares details of her recent trip to attend the inaugural Steam School on the John W. Brown Liberty Ship in Baltimore, Maryland. Our hope here at Superior Public Museums is to have the SS Meteor's main engine moving again, so visitors can see how things worked on an engine of this magnitude. Dara was able to work oiler watches on a running triple expansion steam engine and work with auxiliary machinery onboard the ship. She also met some engineering experts, and aims to get the SS Meteor's main engine and additional equipment moving again. Enjoy photos, video, and a bit of Liberty Ship history.
History Sails Into the Future
Megan Meyer, new Executive Director for Superior Public Museums, and Dara Fillmore will discuss the various tasks needed to accomplish getting equipment moving again and the funding goals to make these plans a reality. During her first year as the Director, Megan and the staff have encountered some interesting artifacts, including the original transport papers of Alexander McDougall and his family.
SS Meteor Tours: 5:00-6:00 p.m. Explore the “nooks and crannies” of your favorite ship.
The nooks and crannies tour may be enjoyed by both daytime and evening program participants.
EVENING PROGRAM
Evening Program: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. ($45.00)
Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center: 305 Harborview Parkway, Superior, Wisconsin
Duluth Grill Buffet Dinner & Cash Bar from Liquor & Lounge
Salad, focaccia, grass fed roast sirloin, chicken marsala, deconstructed smashed potatoes, wild rice pilaf with Minnesota wild rice, savory squash with apples and toasted pecans, assorted cupcakes, and coffee.
Silent auction featuring framed prints, tours, memorabilia, and more!
Thank you to our generous donors. New items will be listed on our website as they are received
Keynote Presentation
Exploring the Deep:
Archeological Investigations of the Three Lake Superior Shipwrecks with ROVs
Tamara Thomsen, Maritime Archeologist
Using prototype technology, archaeologists and ROV pilots team up to investigate three deep shipwreck discoveries in the Lake Superior. See footage from the converted car ferry Harriet B. in 650 feet of water off Two Harbors, Minnesota -- the deepest archaeological survey of a shipwreck on the Great Lakes, the schooner Antelope located in 310 feet of water off Michigan Island, Wisconsin, and dive deep inside the hold of the fish tug Thomas Friant in 305 feet of water off Port Wing, Wisconsin.
Tamara Thomsen is a Maritime Archaeologist with Wisconsin Historical Society's Maritime Preservation and Archaeology program. Her research has resulted in the nomination of fifty-five submerged sites to the National Register of Historic Places. She has received awards from the Association for Great Lakes Maritime History, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society, and in 2014, she was inducted into the Women Diver's Hall of Fame. Tamara is an active cave, rebreather, and technical diving instructor, and has worked as a photographer, researcher, and research diver on projects including the USS Monitor with NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries, and RMS Titanic with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Registration for McDougall’s Dream: Saturday, September 21, 2019
Please indicate how many of each you are purchasing:
____$12.00 Morning Excursion (Space limited to 20 participants)
____ $15.00 Daytime Program
____ $45.00 Evening Program (Includes dinner)
____ $50.00 Combination Ticket (Daytime Talks, Evening Program & Dinner- Does NOT include excursion)
$________Total enclosed
Name(s):____________________________________________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________________ Email: ______________________________________________
Please make checks payable to: Credit Card #_____________________________________
Superior Public Museums Expiration Date ______/________ CVC______
Mail to: Signature________________________________________
Superior Public Museums
906 East Second Street Superior, WI 54880
You may also call (715)394-5712 if you prefer to pay by phone.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
McDougall’s Dream is Saturday
September 22, 2018!
Please join us for an Educational and Fun Event
Click Here for details about the Event
Alexander McDougall
This year marks the 14th Annual “McDougall’s Dream”. This all-day event celebrates local ship builder and entrepreneur Alexander McDougall.
In the late 1880's he came up with an innovative design for a steel-hulled vessel that would ride low in the water and shed the waves off its back like a whale, which gave the vessels their popular name of “whale-back.” McDougall’s American Steel Barge Company built the whale-backs in Superior, near the site of the current Frasier Shipyards. Only one whale-back ship remains – the Meteor – now land-berthed on Barker’s Island and open for tours.
McDougall’s Dream is this Saturday September 22 at the Bong Veterans Historical Center located at 305 Harbor View Parkway Superior WI.
McDougall’s Dream, Saturday, Sept. 22, is a program with daytime talks featuring local maritime topics. Dinner and a silent auction are in the evening. Proceeds help to restore and preserve the Meteor, the last remaining whaleback freighter, and the legacy of Captain Alexander McDougall. The event, 1-8 p.m., also includes music, entertainment and cash bar. At the SS Meteor Whaleback Museum on Barker’s Island, 300 Marina Dr., Superior. Reservations recommended. For reservations and more information, please call 715-394-5712.
The cost for the daytime talks and the evening dinner and keynote speaker is $50.
Morning Excursion: 9:00 - 11:00 am - $10.00
Riverside and the McDougall-Duluth Company:
A World War I Shipyard and Community Walking Tour
As World War I dragged on and the German submarine campaign continued to sink hundreds of ships, the United States
government started an emergency program to build ships. Captain Alexander McDougall formed the McDougall Duluth
Ship Building Company and established a residential neighborhood in Duluth for its workers, called Riverside. Today the
Riverside neighborhood continues to be a unique and vital community along the shores of the St. Louis River in West
Duluth. This tour starts at the water’s edge inside the shipyard and its remaining structures, and then heads into the neigh-
borhood. The housing and streets are among the most significant and well-preserved company towns in the Midwest.
This is a special opportunity for a guided tour through one of the most enduring sites of McDougall’s work in Duluth.
1:00 - 4:30 p.m. Daytime Talks-$15.00
At the Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center
Book Signing
Roger Pellett, author of Whaleback Ships and the Am er ican
Steel Barge Company, will be signing his books from 1-3 p.m.
Learn about the company behind the designer of the whalebacks.
A Lifetime of Diving
Join us as Elmer Engman, diver and owner of Viking Diver, shares some
of his favorite experiences as a shipwreck diver over the past 50 years. He
will detail a few of his favorite shipwrecks, and talk about some of the
greatest adventures he’s been a part of during his career. He has dived all over the world and published the first
shipwreck guide on Lake Superior. Learn what has kept Elmer diving over the years!
Harbor Health
How do scientists know that a river is healthy? The St. Louis River and the Port of Duluth-Superior, has a long legacy of
abuse. Contamination and habitat loss have changed the river forever. But current efforts are cleaning up what history
has left behind. Learn from Hannah Ramage, monitoring coordinator at the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research
Institute, as she discusses the efforts to restore this river and the tools that scientists use to track and plan for its fut ure.
A Harbor Cruise Through History
Many of the historic photos you see of whalebacks were taken in the Twin Ports. Ever wondered what the industries be-
hind the boats were all about? Tim Pranke, avid shipwreck diver and GLSPS boat captain, will be talking about the his-
tory of the harbor, and the purpose behind some of those impressive buildings in the background.
Left on the Drawing Board: The Unbuilt Plans of Alexander McDougall
Though a builder of whalebacks and other types of ships, the American Steel Barge Company and Alexander
McDougall created a host of other designs that never reached a completed form. These included plans for
freighters and passenger ships for service both on fresh and salt water. Though his military designs were fanci-
ful, the civilian designs represented the ambitions of McDougall for both his own ideas and his long-term am-
bitions for his company during the 1890s. Hear Matthew Daley, of Grand Valley State University, as he shares
the history behind some of the unbuilt ships.
5:00-6:00 p.m. SS Meteor Tours - Explore the “nooks and crannies” of your favorite ship.
The nooks and crannies tour may be enjoyed by both daytime and evening program participants.
EVENING PROGRAM:
6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Evening Program - $45.00
At the Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center, 305 Harborview Parkway, Superior, WI
Hearty buffet dinner catered by the Duluth Grill - Cash bar
Salad, focaccia, bison pot roast, mini-pasties, seasoned baby red potatoes,
maple glazed carrots, homemade cupcakes & coffee
Keynote presentation: By Dr. Matthew Daley
(His third Encore Presentation)!
Military Ships of the Great Lakes.
There are many military ships used and built here in the Twin Ports for the WWII war Effort.
Once again, Matthew will give a exuberant presentation about how these military ships are associated with the twin ports area and around the Great Lakes.
Thank you to our generous donors. New items will be listed on our website as they are received
For more details, take a look at our “Events Calendar” page. To make a reservation, call us at 715-394-5712.
- Superior Public Museums, Inc.
Operating three historical sites in the city of Superior, Wisconsin.
• Fairlawn Mansion, an authentically restored 1890 Victorian House Museum.
• SS Meteor Whaleback Ship Museum, the world's last remaining above-water Whaleback ship.
• Old Firehouse and Police Museum, the last of Superior's 19th Century Fire Halls.
Superior Public Museums
906 East 2nd Street
Superior, WI 54880
Call: 715-394-5712
Email: info@superiorpublicmuseums.org
SPM Business Office Hours:
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. year-round
McDougall’s Dream is Saturday
September 24, 2016!
Please join us for an Educational and Fun Event
Alexander McDougall
This year marks the 12th annual “McDougall’s Dream”. This all-day event celebrates local ship builder and entrepreneur Alexander McDougall.
In the late 1880s he came up with an innovative design for a steel-hulled vessel that would ride low in the water and shed the waves off its back like a whale, which gave the vessels their popular name of “whaleback.” McDougall’s American Steel Barge Company built the whalebacks in Superior, near the site of the current Frasier Shipyards. Only one whaleback ship remains – the Meteor – now land-berthed on Barker’s Island and open for tours.
McDougall’s Dream is this Saturday September 24 at the Bong Veterans Historical Center located at 305 Harbor View Parkway Superior WI.
Afternoon presentations begin at 1 p.m. and go to 4:30 pm with topics such as, "What Happened to the Whale Back Barges"? - Elmer Engman; McDougall's Islay - David Coleman; "The Brownstone Industry at the Head of the Lakes" - Brian Klawater; "A Tremendous Opportunity" Alexander McDougall and the Collingwood Ship Building Company" - Mathew Daley
The evening events begin at 6 p.m. and go to 9:00 pm. Starting with a cash bar, dinner catered by Duluth Grill, and silent auction. Keynote speaker Niel Zoss "Historian" - The Wreck and Rescue of the Henry Cort
Proceeds from the event help to restore and preserve the S.S. Meteor and the legacy of Captain Alexander McDougall.
The cost is $15 for the daytime talks, $40 for the evening dinner and keynote speaker, or $50 for a combination ticket for daytime and evening events.
For more details, take a look at our “Events Calendar” page. To make a reservation, call us at 715-394-5712.
- Superior Public Museums, Inc.
Operating three historical sites in the city of Superior, Wisconsin.
• Fairlawn Mansion, an authentically restored 1890 Victorian House Museum.
• SS Meteor Whaleback Ship Museum, the world's last remaining above-water Whaleback ship.
• Old Firehouse and Police Museum, the last of Superior's 19th Century Fire Halls.
Superior Public Museums
906 East 2nd Street
Superior, WI 54880
Call: 715-394-5712
Email: info@superiorpublicmuseums.org
SPM Business Office Hours:
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. year-round