After working on ships for a number of years Robert Moran (1857-1943) opened a marine repair shop at Yesler's Wharf in 1882. Shortly thereafter he established Moran Brothers Marine and Sawmill Machinery Company (later Moran Brothers Company) with his brothers, Frank Moran (1860-1934) and Sherman Moran (1865-1929). In 1898, the firm built a fleet of 12 steamers and 10 barges, and delivered them on the Yukon River to carry food to the miners. The firm also built many large steel and wood vessels, including the battleship USS Nebraska for the U. S. Navy. Moran served as mayor of Seattle from 1888 to 1890, and retired in 1906 to Orcas Island. In 1914, he donated 5,000 acres on Orcas Island to the State of Washington, which became Moran State Park.
This image shows Robert Moran and his dog sitting on a bench at Rosario, his Orcas Island estate at Cascade Bay. Behind them is the figurehead from the SS "America," a clipper ship built in 1874 at Quincy, Massachusetts, by Deacon George Thomas. After many notable voyages "America" was wrecked on San Jan Island in 1914. The figurehead still stands at Rosario, erected by Robert Moran to "commemorate a beautiful sentiment in ship building now becoming a lost art."
Photographer's number: 56602
Caption information source: http://www.riveted-blog.com/2014/11/figurehead-from-the-sailing-ship-america-1
Physical Description: 1 photographic print mounted on cardboard : colorized ; 8 x 10 in.
Additional Information: Digital copy of this item available thanks to funding from a 2016 Institute for Museum and Library Services grant. Metadata updated as part of a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the Library Services and Technology Act, through the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.
