Moosehead Marine Museum - History

The Moosehead Marine Museum invites you to experience history. Step aboard the Katahdin for a leisurely cruise to enjoy the natural beauty and history of Moosehead Lake.

A National Historic Landmark, the Katahdin, more than any other remaining piece of Moosehead's history, truly reflects the many eras, interests, and businesses of the region's past and present. Built in 1914 by the young shipyard Bath Iron Works, the steamboat Katahdin was later converted to diesel, and has become the final link to a bygone era.

Steamboat history began on Moosehead Lake in 1836. As many as fifty boats once steamed up the lake carrying passengers, livestock, mail, supplies and equipment. Steamboats were the only means of transportation to the large resorts, like Mount Kineo, as well as the small hunting camps and villages around the lake.

By the late 1930's, with the development of roads around Moosehead, only the Katahdin remained. Used as a towboat to haul booms (rafts) of logs until 1975, she participated in the nation's last log drive and was then designated a National Historic Landmark.

In 1976, the Moosehead Marine Museum was founded and it acquired the Katahdin as its star exhibit. In addition to the Katahdin, the Museum has an extensive collection of steamboat memorabilia and early photographs of the Moosehead area. The Marine Museum is dedicated to preserving the glorious days of steamboating and the heritage of the Moosehead Lake Region.

The Katahdin is owned and operated by the Moosehead Marine Museum, a non-profit organization.
Considerable sums of money have been raised from very generous donors to allow the Katahdin to continue sailing.