DUBUQUE, Iowa — The Dubuque County Historical Society (DCHS) received a $50,000 Historic Resource Development Program (HRDP) grant from the State Historical Society of Iowa.

The William M. Black is a steam-propelled, sidewheel dustpan dredge boat that now serves as a museum ship at the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa. She is permanently moored in the Ice Harbor of the Mississippi River in the Port of Dubuque and tells many of the major stories of America’s river history. The Black is one of 29 National Historic Landmarks in the state of Iowa and is one of only 360 large historic vessels in the country. She is one of four almost identical sisters that served for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for 37 years.

“The William M. Black represents a rare and important class of vessel. As a steam-powered sidewheel dredge, it is among the final examples constructed before the transition to diesel propulsion and remains one of the few surviving vessels of its kind built for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,” said Tony Guild, LCDR, USCG (Ret.), Maritime Technical Services, LLC. “The River Museum’s stewardship of this vessel plays a vital role in preserving and interpreting our nation’s inland maritime and industrial heritage.”