Tracing back to the early 1900s, steamships served as the literal cornerstone of both global trade as well as travel. The men who worked on board these impressive vessels were mentally and physically fortified. Even with the numerous kinds of challenges that they’d face on board the steamships, the shipping industry itself evolved at a rapid rate. We’ll take a step back though, and look at some of the most notable pictures to surface from various steamships from the early 1900s onwards.
1. Last known picture of the Titanic above water.
If only there had been a way to know just how much things would end up falling apart.
2. The American Ship Building Company launching the sidewheeled steamship Seeandbee at Wyandotte, Michigan, United States.
Just a tad bit terrifying, to say the least.
3. Prospectors begin departing the Klondike gold fields on Steamboat Nora for Nome.
Seems like it was just a bit crowded.
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4. The steamship SS Warrimoo.
You can jus tell that this steamship could cut loose.
5. Pacific Mail Steamship Company’s paddleship SS Alaska stranded after a typhoon.
One just hopes that everyone who was caught on board ended up being okay.
6. Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s steamship SS Great Eastern under construction.
One can only imagine how involved the construction process was for this steamship.
7. Steamship Idaho docked in Juneau, Alaska some time in 1887.
Looks like a cold day at sea, indeed.
8. The steamship Princess May after running aground on rocks in the Lynn Canal, Alaska.
It is always quite visceral to see a steamship that’s ended up running aground.
9. Colorized photo of passengers from the steamship Ohio disembarking in Honolulu.
The colorized photos from back in the day are fascinating, to say the least.
10. Turbinia at speed back in 1897.
Look at that steamship roar on ahead.
11. Steamship Kerkplein grounded on the beach at IJmuiden, the Netherlands (1935).
Everyone seems to be surprisingly patient in this moment that was captured.
12. Loading copper onto a ship in the USA in 1905.
Looks to be another tough day on the job.
13. Isambard Kingdom Brunel (in the top hat) overseeing construction of SS Great Eastern.
The top hat certainly adds a heightened degree of seriousness to the whole aesthetic of the picture.
14. An ottoman steamship in the Bhosphorous, 1856.
Now this is seriously back in the day.
15. Steamship crew practicing a fire drill (1906).
Practicing fire drills on board steamships was imperative.
16. Late 1900s Indian River Lagoon steamship at Rockledge, Florida landing.
Not a bad looking place to post up for a while.
17. The Titanic and Olympic under construction at Harland and Wolff shipyard Belfast, 1910.
Literally large than life level of steamship construction going on here.
18. The launch of the SS Statendam on July 9, 1914.
Looks like quite the theatrical launch of a steamship, indeed.
19. S.S Aslaug/Singorita/Martha, steamer which became famous from the 1967 Danish film.
Movies were quite effective catalysts for steamships to gain popularity.
20. Unloading bananas from steamship, New Orleans ca 1900.
That steamship was full-on bananas.
