Name/Title
The OsceolaEntry/Object ID
2016.019.067Description
The Osceola on the St. Johns River
The sternwheeler Osceola was built in 1910 by Merrill-Stevens Dry Dock and Repair Co., and designed by Arthur Stevens was completely white except for her steel hull, which was painted black. The sternwheel was enclosed so it would not have its paddles hung up in a tree while taking the sharp turns of the St. Johns River. Her paddles were of featherbone design -- instead of running straight across on their frames, there were two sets, each running from the outside diagonally downward toward the center so they would knife into the water and not hit flat. She was 250 feet deep with a 60 foot beam.
She had a main deck for freight, two passenger decks above that and then a pilot-house deck on top of the upper passenger deck. The Osceola has a crew of 42, one captain and one mate. an additional pilot, two stokers, 14 deck hands, purser, a cook and 12 waiters.
The vessel was initially operated by the Clyde-Mallory Line, a subsidiary of the St. Johns River Line. Cabins were provided for 100 first-class passengers and 25 and 50 could come aboard as deck passengers.
The Osceola was dismantled in 1937, and in 1941, her hull sunk in the St. Johns River. It was in service for roughly 25 years hauling freight and passengers between Jacksonville and Sanford. During WWII, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers attempted to have it removed to facilitate movement of river traffic, but were forced to give it up.
In 1963, the flat-bottomed steel hull was removed to make way for a parking lot in front of the former city hall building.Collection
Woodward Photo CollectionMade/Created
Studio
The Woodward Studio, Inc.Lexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Secondary Object Term
Photograph, Black-and-WhiteNomenclature Primary Object Term
PhotographNomenclature Sub-Class
Graphic DocumentsNomenclature Class
Documentary ObjectsNomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication Objects