BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 2, 2023
An iconic steamboat built in 1914 — and the oldest Bath Iron Works vessel still operating — is undergoing a number of preservation efforts to ensure it continues cruising Moosehead Lake in the future. The Katahdin was considered the queen of a fleet of as many as 55 steamboats registered on the lake in the early 20th century and is the only one remaining, according to the Moosehead Marine Museum. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The steamboat means a great deal to the Moosehead Lake region and Piscataquis County, which rely on roughly 8,000 annual visitors from Maine and beyond who contribute about $1.5 million to the economy, according to the museum. Five years of preservation work, which includes replacing the ship’s decking and structural rail, will help the region draw visitors in the coming decades.