“A Whale of a Ship” exhibit at the North Point Lighthouse and Museum in Milwaukee.
The S.S. Christopher Columbus, the only whaleback ship ever built for passenger service, transported millions of visitors to the 1893 World’s Fair between downtown Chicago and the Columbian Exposition fairgrounds. The excursion liner operated on the Great Lakes through 1933.
A new exhibit running from August 30, 2018, through February 24, 2019 at the North Point Lighthouse and Museum in Milwaukee explores the construction and operation of this historic boat. “The S.S. Christopher Columbus: A Whale of a Ship” features photographs of the vessel along with two beautiful models of the Columbus on loan from the Grohmann Museum at MSOE University.
The North Point Lighthouse and Museum is located at 2650 N. Wahl Avenue in Lake Park, Milwaukee, WI. Directions, hours and admission information can be found at: http://northpointlighthouse.org/visit/admission/
Photograph of the The S.S. Columbus whaleback at Exposition Pier by C.D. Arnold. [Image from Official Views of the World’s Columbian Exposition (Press Chicago Photo-gravure Co., 1893).]