| Summary |
Wooden bulk carriers were the quintessential vessels used to transport iron ore and other bulk commodities on the Great Lakes during the nineteenth century. The subject of this thesis is the Selah Chamberlain, which belonged to the first generation of these bulk carriers. The purpose of this thesis is to document the historical and archaeological investigation of the Selah Chamberlain. The history of this vessel is intertwined amongst several Great Lakes maritime themes, including shipbuilding and shipping, the Life Saving Service, the marine salvage industry and the Admiralty Court System. Following a historical narrative, there is a presentation of the archaeological investigation of the Selah Chamberlain. Next, an assessment of the site formation process is offered, which is succeeded by a discussion of the ship's structure. Drawing upon similarly built 'sister' vessels, appearance and structural details are suggested for the Selah Chamberlain. This vessel was built at the time when steambarges were transitioning into bulk carriers, sharing characteristics of both vessels-types. Through the examination of the Selah Chamberlain's structure, a better understanding of the bulk carrier vessel-type is achieved. |
