Gothic Revival Beam Engine, circa 1855
THF806008 / Gothic Revival Beam Engine, circa 1855
01
Artifact Overview
By the mid-1800s steam power had become widely adopted throughout settled areas of the United States. While refinements continued, the basic technology was accepted fully enough that it began to host contemporary decorative fashions. This engine's pronounced Gothic styling -- thoroughly digested into its (fairly advanced) engineering -- suggests the significance steam power had assumed both practically and philosophically.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Steam engine (Engine)
Date Made
circa 1855
Place of Creation
Creator Notes
Building of the engine is attributed to I.P. Morris, Towne and Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1836; rebuilt by the Novelty Iron Works in 1867
Location
at Henry Ford Museum in Made in America
Object ID
30.489.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of John T. Lewis & Brothers Company
Material
Iron (Metal)
Sheet metal
Color
White (Color)
Dimensions
Width: 12.667 ft
Depth: 26.75 ft
Height: 30.542 ft
Diameter: 36 in (Bore)
Weight: 45 lbs
Length: 72 in (Stroke)
Horsepower: 250 hp (186.42 kW)
Keywords |
|---|
02
Related Content
SetHenry Ford’s Steam Engines
- 9 Artifacts
This is the oldest known surviving steam engine in the world. Named for its inventor Thomas Newcomen, the engine converted chemical energy in the fuel into useful mechanical work. Its early history is not known, but it was used to pump water out of the Cannel mine in the Lancashire coalfields of England in about 1765. The engine was presented to Henry Ford in 1929.
SetAmerica's Industrial Revolution
- 24 Artifacts
Steam power initially spread in the United States via its adoption and adaptation in ships and boats. This early mill engine's layout and dimensions are firmly rooted in Mississippi riverboat practice, while its applied decorative detail and vibrant color scheme speak to the increasingly elevated status of steam technology as it found a firm footing in mills and factories.
articleGothic Revival: An “Alternative” Trend for Victorian Americans
What began as deliciously gloomy in 18th-century England took hold in Victorian America as romantic and picturesque. Learn more about Gothic Revival.
articleA Gothic Novelty
The great Novelty Works "gothic" steam engine in Henry Ford Museum reveals a complex 19th-century conflict between powerful machinery and beautiful design.