Antique U.S. Navy Steamship Tashmoo Original World War I Era Compass. Anchored to a wooden base. Made by Z. S. Ritchie & Sons Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts in 1920. Informative label taped to it that reads: "WWI U.S. Navy Ship''s Compass Salvaged Off the Steamer 'Tashmoo' Which Sailed From the Port of Detroit." A heavy and remarkable piece of maritime history. 

Size: 16 x 12 x 6 in. 

The Tashmoo was a sidewheeler steamboat on Lake St. Clair and Lake Huron. It was famous for being one of the fastest ships, at the time, on the Great Lakes. The Tashmoo was the first ship constructed in 1900 and was launched on December 31st, 1899. It was built by the Detroit Shipbuilding Company in Wyandotte, Michigan for Detroit’s White Star Steamship Company. The Tashmoo was nicknamed the “White Flyer” and, because of the number of windows on the ship, the “Glass Hack.” The Tashmoo’s regular route was from Detroit to Port Huron, Michigan. It made several stops along the way, including at its namesake, Tashmoo Park. It participated in several steamboat races, including between the City of Chicago and the City of Milwaukee in September 1900. A. A. Parker, the president of the White Star Line, offered $1,000 to any ship that could beat the Tashmoo in a race. The president of the Cleveland Buffalo Transit Company accepted the challenge on behalf of his ship, the City of Erie. The course was 82 nautical miles long and went from Cleveland, Ohio to Erie, Pennsylvania. The Tashmoo fell behind at the start of the race but quickly regained ground. It was forced to slow after going out of sight of the shore because the wheelman was not used to steering only by compass, as well as an overheating condenser, and lost to the City of Erie by just 45 seconds. On December 8th, 1927 the Tashmoo snapped its moorings during a gale and started drifting up the Detroit River. It collided with a ferry and was found further upstream, stopped by the Belle Isle Bridge. Two tugboats pulled the Tashmoo away from the bridge, but the cables broke again and the ship almost slammed back into the bridge before the tugboats were able to secure it again. The ship was eventually repaired and returned to service, but on June 18th, 1936 the Tashmoo struck a submerged rock as it was leaving Sugar Island. The ship was able to dock in Amherstburg, Ontario and be evacuated before it sank in 18 feet of water. It was scrapped more than ten years later, and entered into the National Maritime Hall of Fame in 1985.