The William M. Black is a steam-propelled, sidewheel dustpan dredge. Built in 1934, she is one of a small number of surviving steam-powered dredges, and one of four surviving United States Army Corps of Engineers dredges.
She was one of the last paddle steamers built in the US, was used primarily along the Missouri River. She had a crew of 49 and dredged 80,000 cubic yards of material per day. She was placed out of service in 1973 because she consumed 7,000 US gallons of heavy oil each day, which became prohibitively expensive during the 1973 OPEC oil embargo.
Open to the public. Dubuque, Iowa.
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3. Engine room.
4. Engine room.
5. Engine room.
6. Engine room.
7. Engine room.
8. Boiler room.
9. Machine shop.
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12. Bunk house.
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14. Dining room.
15. Galley.
16. Looking down at the engine room.
17. An officer's quarters.
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19. Map/chart room.
Sadly, not all areas of the dredge are accessible. Even more sad, the wheel house leaks and it was raining, so they weren't letting people up there