Transportation - Overview
Americans have always been a people on the move—on rails, roads, and waterways (for travel through the air, visit the National Air and Space Museum). In the transportation collections, railroad objects range from tools, tracks, and many train models to the massive 1401, a 280-ton locomotive built in 1926. Road vehicles include coaches, buggies, wagons, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, and automobiles—from the days before the Model T to modern race cars. The accessories of travel are part of the collections, too, from streetlights, gas pumps, and traffic signals to goggles and overcoats.
In the maritime collections, more than 7,000 design plans and scores of ship models show the evolution of sailing ships and other vessels. Other items range from scrimshaw, photographs, and marine paintings to life jackets from the Titanic.
"Transportation - Overview" showing 4 items.
Painting, Thomas Battersby
- Description
- The Thomas Battersby was built in New Brunswick, Canada in 1825 by John Wilson. The ship measured 102 feet long and 323 tons. The Thomas Battersby was owned by Richard Battersby, and its home port was reported as Belfast. Thomas Battersby was built as a scow and rerigged by 1845 as a brig. It was in the cotton trade between Liverpool and New Orleans, and was last listed in the Lloyd's register in 1847.
- The painting shows two views of the same ship, the view of the stern employed to show the name of the ship. Liverpool is visible in the back ground with a good view of the industrial buildings. There are several smaller craft in the painting.
- Artist Miles Walters was born in 1774 and died in 1849. He was a shipwright, and later a seaman. After leaving the sea Miles moved to London. He later moved to Liverpool with third son Samuel Walters (1811-1882), where he was listed in the directories as an artist. He worked on several pieces with his son Samuel who studied at the Liverpool Mechanics School of Arts. Samuel became one of the most popular marine painters of his time.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1830
- maker
- Walters, Miles
- Walters, Samuel
- ID Number
- 2005.0279.030
- accession number
- 2005.0279
- catalog number
- 2005.0279.030
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Painting, Bellona and Minerva
- Description
- The Bellona was built in Westmorland, New Brunswick by William Venning in 1826. It measured 106 feet long and 402 tons. The Minerva was built in Truro, Nova Scotia by William Walker; in 1826. It measured 101 feet long and 308 tons. Both ships were owned in part by James Battersby & Co. and Richard Battersby of Belfast. In the painting the Bellona is shown with a full press of sail with the lower fore-studding sail only just being sent down. Minerva is turned into the wind under reduced sail, about to anchor. Minerva is identifiable by its name at the stern. Other small ships can be seen in the painting.
- Artist Miles Walters was born in 1774 and died in 1849. He was a shipwright, and later a seaman, after leaving the sea Miles moved to London. He later moved to Liverpool with third son Samuel Walters (1811-1882), where he was listed in the directories as an artist. He worked on several pieces with his son Samuel who studied at the Liverpool Mechanics School of Arts. Samuel became one of the most popular marine painters of his time.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1832
- maker
- Walters, Samuel
- Walters, Miles
- ID Number
- 2005.0279.031
- accession number
- 2005.0279
- catalog number
- 2005.0279.031
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Painting of the Packet Ship Lancaster
- Description
- The Lancaster was built in 1823 in Lancaster, England. It weighed 353 tons. From 1833 to 1840 it was owned by Sir J. Tobin, who was mayor of Liverpool in 1819. The Lancaster traded between Liverpool, England, and Africa and was reported missing in 1840.
- The painting by Miles Walters presents a dual view of the ship showing its profile and rear view. A small pilot ship is approaching Lancaster. Artist Miles Walters was born in 1774 and died in 1849. He was a shipwright (and later a seaman), after leaving the sea, Miles moved to London. He later moved to Liverpool with his third son Samuel Walters (1811-1882), where he was listed in the directories as an artist. Miles and Samuel worked on several marine paintings together.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1830
- maker
- Walters, Miles
- ID Number
- 2005.0279.038
- accession number
- 2005.0279
- catalog number
- 2005.0279.038
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Painting of Sailing Vessel Higginson
- Description
- The sailing vessel Higginson was built in 1814 in Liverpool, England. It measured 115 feet in length and weighed 453 tons. The vessel was owned by Sir William Barton, George Irlam, and John Higginson. When Barton died in 1826, Irlam and Higginson took up his share. It was active in the Liverpool-West Indies trade from 1814-1839. In 1839 it disappeared from the registry. Humphrey Owen purchased it in February 1848 after its former owners declared bankruptcy. Subsequently, Higginson sailed with W.H. Owens, the owner's son, as master from the Menai Straits to New York with cargos of slate and emigrants. The Welsh American paper, Y Cyfaill noted in 1850 that 150 Welshman arrived in New York on Higginson.
- The painting by Samuel Walters shows the Higginson in the Mersey River, arriving at Liverpool, England. It is a harbor scene showing a good view of the city of Liverpool waterfront with churches, municipal buildings, mills and fortifications are shown. Evernton Hill is in the background. A three-part view of the ship shows the Higginson from starboard, astern, and port. The main view is a starboard profile with the sails unfurled. Several other smaller craft can be seen in the harbor.
- According to A.S. Davidson in the book Samuel Walters - Marine Painter (1992, p.64), "The convention of successive views relates a progressive furling of sail, and alteration of course, until the vessel finally comes to anchor stemming the incoming tide off the distant Liverpool docks. Identity is possible from the inscription "Higginson-Liverpool" on the stern in the port quarter view, and the Liverpool Code flags, 1, 8, on the foremast.
- Miles Walters (1773-1855) was a British tradesman and marine painter. Samuel Walters (1811-1882) under the influence and guidance of his father also became a marine painter. This painting may be a collaborative product of both men.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1831
- maker
- Walters, Samuel
- Walters, Miles
- ID Number
- 2005.0279.055
- accession number
- 2005.0279
- catalog number
- 2005.0279.055
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center