Era: 1914-1945
Museum Type: Ship→ Original Ship
Propulsion Type:
- Engine→ {Internal Combustion+Reciprocating Steam}
- Fuel→ Diesel/Fuel Oil
Subject Type:
- Vessel→ Naval and Privateer→ Steel Navy→ Auxiliary
- Vessel→ Working→ Tug / Towboat
120 North Madison Avenue
Sturgeon Bay WI 54235
US
920.743.5958
info@dcmm.org
https://dcmm.org/tug-john-purves-sturgeon-bay/
The 1919 tug Butterfield was built for World War I, but was sold for the Lake Superior pulpwood trade. During World War II, the boat was taken into government service as the USAT Butterfield, LT-145, serving in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. The Roen Steamship Company acquired the tug, renaming it John Purves (after the firm’s general manager) and using it as a salvage vessel. It was later donated to the Door County Maritime Museum (Wikipedia).
She is intentionally categorized as having both reciprocating steam and diesel power, reflecting her original configuration and later conversion. Likewise, she is listed as both a Navy auxilliary vessel and as a commercial tug, per her original service and later sale to private interests.
Original photo from Door County Visitor Bureau.