Station Tours
Cargo Hold
The area that houses the ticket booth, museum store, and displays at one time held the iron ore, coal, grain, and stone cargoes that the Mather hauled for 55 years. This large, open room is Cargo Hold #1, the smallest of four holds on the Mather. You can see Hold #2 through the portholes cut through the wall, or bulkhead, at the end of the room opposite the staircase. The entrance, cement floor, and staircase were added in 1990.Dunnage Room
The tiny Dunnage Room has quarters for eight Mather crewmen - six deckhands and two extra porters. The word "dunnage" is an old sailing term for material placed between cargo to prevent shifting. The area where the material was stored also housed crew. Because the Mather served as flagship of the Cliffs fleet for many years, extra porters were needed to care for the invited guests' needs. Deckhands were unlicensed seamen who handle lines, open and close hatches, clean cargo holds, and, while underway, chip, paint, and perform general maintenance. These men shared a common bathroom, or head. This area also contains a tool room, laundry room, the gyrocompass room, and the entrance to the bow thruster space. Electric generators are located behind the gray panels.Spar Deck
The deck area of the Mather contains 18 hatches, four mooring winches, two hatch winches, and the winch controls. The winches in the center of the deck were used to open and close the hatches. The Mather has what are called "telescoping hatch covers", so named because each leaf slides back on top of the next along the hatch coaming. Each clamp on the hatch was loosened or tightened by hand. The first four hatches are covered with yellow tarps to protect the exhibit deck in Cargo Hold #1. The tarps are secured by wooden battens placed between the hatch coaming and hatch clamps. Tarps are required during the early spring and late fall navigation seasons, and whenever grain or any other cargo that must be kept dry is carried.Foyer and Observation Lounge
The area that occupies these two decks was reserved for guests of Cleveland-Cliffs. There are five staterooms and two sitting areas. Guests included clients, executives, politicians, employees, and often William G. Mather himself.Captain's Quarters
Ultimately responsible for the entire vessel, cargo, and crew, the Captain was the only person to have an office and separate sleeping quarters. A stairway leads directly from the office up to the Pilot House where the Captain would be on the bridge during storms, while navigating rivers and canals, or coming into port. The ship's safe is located here, as are cabinets for medical supplies which were dispensed by the Captain as Chief Medical Officer. The original black walnut was discovered under a layer of paint and green paneling. Renovation is in progress.Pilot House
Navigational center of the vessel, the Pilot House of the Mather is an impressive room of oak and brass. In the center of the room stands the original ship's wheel and binnacle, with magnetic compass. Next to the binnacle is the gyrocompass repeater, added later and connected to the gyrocompass located in the Dunnage Room. Across the front of the Pilot House are various instruments and controls, including radar, bow thruster control, Chadburn, or Engine Room Telegraph, and radio direction finder (an instrument used to determine a ship's position before the advent of radar). A large chart table is situated along the aft, or back, wall. The brass in this room had been painted over in later years to cut down on maintenance, but volunteers restored the brass to its original condition.Crew's Hallway
This area served as home to the Third Mate, three Wheelsmen, and three Watchmen. Mates, or deck officers, were responsible for navigation, loading and unloading, payroll , and safety. Each had his own room with an attached bathroom. The First and Second Mates' quarters are located nearby on deck. The Wheelsman steered the vessel while the Watchman kept a sharp lookout in rivers, canals, ports, and during periods of reduced visibility. At the end of the hall is the Windlass Room where the anchor windlass and bow mooring lines are located. The chain locker below holds over 600 feet of chain, and each bow anchor weighs four tons.Crew's Mess, Galley, and Pantry
The Crew's Mess served as a dining room and night kitchen for Mather crewmen who worked in the deck, engine, and galley departments throughout the Mather's career. Crew and officers alike worked, or wee on watch, four hours and then off eight hours. This meant that the kitchen, or Galley, had to prepare meals 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The steward was the head cook and was assisted by a Second Cook who did the baking and prep work in the Galley, and by two Porters who were responsible for cleanup and serving. Specially built cupboards would keep dishes from falling out in rough weather. The room aft of the Galley is the Pantry, where all food stores were kept. This entire area was severely smoke-damaged in 1984 and was restored by volunteers.Engine Room
At the bottom of the portside stairway is the Steering Gear Room. Powered by steam, the steering engine is original to the ship. The huge black gear quadrant moves the rudder when the wheel in the Pilot House is turned. This area also served as the ship's repair shop, complete with lathe, drill press, and paint and pipe-fitter's lockers.
Forward of the Steering Gear Room is the main Engine Room. When built in 1925, the Mather had coal-fired boilers and a quadruple-expansion steam engine that could generate 2300 horsepower. In 1954 this was replaced with a 5000 horsepower steam turbine and a new oil-fired boiler. Steam produced in the single boiler was fed to the high and low-pressure turbines. Double reduction gears connect the turbines to the Propeller Shaft. The Mather has a single five-bladed propeller 15 feet in diameter. Steam also powered the AC generators for electricity, and provided hot water and heat. The Mather was the first U.S. registered vessel to have an automated boiler system installed in 1964. Aft of the boiler is the Chadburn, or Engine Room Telegraph, which is the main communication link between the Pilot House and the Engine Room.
Officers' Dining Room and Guests' Dining Room
The oak paneled Officers' Dining Room served the Captain, Mates, Wheelsmen, Chief Engineer, and Assistant Engineers. The Guests' Dining Room was reserved for the invited guests of Cleveland-Cliffs and its president, William G. Mather. The table in the Guests' Dining Room is set with reproduction Cleveland-Cliffs china, circa 1940. These rooms were destroyed by fire in 1984 when the Mather was laid up in Toledo, slated to go to the scrapyard. They have been faithfully reconstructed through a generous grant from the Junior League of Cleveland.Steward's Room
The Steward, or head cook, was essential t the crew's morale. Food preparation on Great Lakes vessels is known for its quality and quantity, and sailors have been known to choose a ship based on its food and galley staff. The Steward was responsible for ordering all food and linens, planning and preparing meals, and the general housekeeping on board. The Steward, though not a licensed officer, had quarters equal to a Second Mate. This room had been remodeled in the 1960's, but due to the damage from the 1984 fire, volunteers removed the marlite paneling and found the original oak beneath. After four months of volunteer efforts, the room has been fully restored.Engineers' Quarters and Crew's Hall
Second only to the Captain, the Chief Engineer was responsible for overall operation and maintenance of the Engine Room. His quarters provided direct access to the Engine Room below. He had four Assistant Engineers working under him. The Crew's Hallway, now Mather staff area, had living quarters for the Engine Room personnel. Oilers, Wipers, and, at one time, Firemen and Coal Passers, had quarters in this area.Boat Deck
The boat deck is the location of the Mather's two life boats and emergency steering wheel. Two spare blades, or buckets, for the propeller are mounted at the stern. Each weighs 3300 pounds and is cast of manganese bronze. The Engine Room below can be seen through the skylight. The stack dates from 1954.