Bay
Queen
8"x 16" Edition of 200
The
steamer "Bay Queen", built in the 1890's in Higham, Massachusetts
for use in Boston Harbor, was one of Mobile's most well known bay
boats. Christened the "Higham", she went to Long Island Sound as
the "Orient", before later being purchased by the Fairhope
Transportation & Excursion Company. In 1902, the Orient's name
was changed to the Bay Queen following her reconditioning for
excursion service. A dance floor was added, and during the next
twenty years she became known as the "Pride of the Bay" for her
numerous moonlight crossings to the Eastern Shore. She was widely
used by Mobile organizations for pleasure trips, as well as by
state and national convention crowds. Aside from being one of the
most noted of bay boats, the Bay Queen was also one of the
largest. Of 471 tons gross, she was 167 feet long, 25 feet wide
and had a capacity of over 1200 passengers. In 1921, the Bay
Queen went into regular service as a ferryboat, but on the night
of March 27, 1929, she burned in a spectacular fire at the foot
of Eslava Street near downtown Mobile.
*This information was obtained from The Museum of the City of
Mobile, courtesy of Mr. Caldwell Delaney.
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