Mathilda: The Museum's Largest Artifact

Mathilda proudly painted and resting on the hard at the Hudson River Maritime Museum, c. 1983, when the museum moved to its current location. Hudson River Maritime Museum collection.

Today's Featured Artifact is a fan favorite - it's the biggest artifact in our collection, and one of the few housed outdoors. It's the 1898 steam tugboat Mathilda! 

And yes, she really is an artifact! She even has her own accession number - 1983.34.1, donated by the McAllister Towing Company. Accession numbers are how museums keep track of their collections. Each number is unique to an object and the number itself tells part of the story. For Mathilda​, she was the 34th donation received in 1983, and the first item in the collection.

The steam tugboat Mathilda hard at work in New York Harbor, c. 1969. Photo by Norman Brower. Hudson River Maritime Museum collection.

The 1898 steam tugboat Mathilda was built in Sorel, Quebec, and for many years worked on the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes. Originally, coal fueled her steam boilers. Later her engine was changed to an oil-fired, two-cylinder reciprocating unit.

​McAllister Towing bought the Mathilda and brought her to New York Harbor after using her in Montreal berthing ships. 1969 was her last year of active service. In 1970 McAllister donated Mathilda to South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan.

Mathilda being raised by crane after sinking at pier at South Street Seaport, 1976. Photo by Norman Brower, Hudson River Maritime Museum collection.

In January, 1976 the Mathilda sank at her pier at the Seaport.  She was raised by the Century floating crane. Since the Seaport could not afford the needed repair work, Mathilda was moved to the former Cunard Line Pier 94 for dry storage.

The Century crane barge lifts the steam tugboat Mathilda over onto land as far as it can reach, 1983. Hudson River Maritime Museum collection.

​In 1983 McAllister Towing donated the Mathilda to the Hudson River Maritime Museum, and sent her to her new home on the Rondout on the deck of the Century crane barge which placed her in the yard of the Museum.

Mathilda's original steam engines, as seen lit at night through the viewing port cut in her hull. Photo by Ron Searl.

In recent years the Mathilda has been permanently stabilized and her appearance restored with authentic McAllister paints supplied by the company. Her deck lighting has been restored and enhanced. Her interior has been cleaned out, and a window opened for viewing her engines, which are lit at night.

As one of the last tugs in existence with her original steam engine, the Mathilda is a proud survivor of the type of tugs which served on the Hudson and elsewhere for nearly 100 years.

You can visit Mathilda​ any time at the Hudson River Maritime Museum. Stop by and say hello! 

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