| Additional Information: | A 'site file' (was Rockefeller, Frank, The, now: Meteor) exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Historic Preservation-Public History. WISCONSIN REGISTERED LANDMARK. CARGO VESSEL CARRYING GRAIN, SAND, COAL, AUTOS, & OIL. LAST OF 44 WHALEBACKS. RETIRED AND CONVERTED TO MUSEUM IN 1969. SEE DULUTH-SUPERIOR HARBOR CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY MAP#73.
The Frank Rockefeller, first launched in 1896, is an example of the whaleback ship designed and patented by Captain Alexander McDougall. The American Steel Barge Company of Superior fabricated this steamer to transport iron ore from the Mesabi Range in Minnesota. In 1969, when it was taken out of service, the Rockefeller was the world’s last active whaleback.
Its name comes from its whale-like appearance, created by a long, narrow steel-plate hull with rounded sides, tapered fore and aft. At the bow, a circular flat plate truncated the conical form, giving it the appearance of a pig's snout; consequently, whalebacks were also called "pigboats." The ship's design brought fuel economy, and its standardized spacing of the hatches and unobstructed cargo hold made loading more efficient and rapid. Once the hatch covers were sealed with gaskets and bolted, they were water-tight--at least in theory. But the clamshell-shaped buckets used for unloading the ships dented the deck plates, causing the hatch covers to leak. The rounded shape meant that spilled cargo fell overboard. And when the ship was emptied, it could not take on enough water ballast to assure stability in bad weather. Furthermore, there was no interior passageway from fore to aft, so if a crewman had to go forward, he crossed the open deck, a dangerous undertaking in storms and slippery even in fair weather.
The Rockefeller is 366.5 feet long, with a beam of 45 feet and a depth of 26 feet; it originally had a cargo capacity of 2,759 gross tons. Deck-mounted turrets provide access to the hull; the after-turret also houses the pilot house, with the engine room located directly below. In 1925, the ship was modified to haul sand, and in later years, it hauled other materials; it became an oil tanker in 1943, when it was renamed the Meteor. In 1972, the company donated the ship to the City of Superior. Now permanently beached on Barker's Island, it is a marine museum managed by the Head of the Lakes Maritime Society.
A Historic Structure Report of this building can be found in Room 312 at the Wisconsin Historical Society. |
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