Steamboat Golden Rod Built in 1893 The small steamer Golden Rod was built at Brewer, Maine, in 1893, registered at Bangor, and first used on the "Round the Hills" service from Hancock to Sorrento, Bar Harbor, Northeast Harbor, and South- west Harbor. This popular little propeller steamer, equipped with a 50 horsepower engine, was painted white with dark green deck rails and was generally known as the "Rud". The "Rud" was later trans- ferred to Penobscot Bay and was travelled on by residents and visitors of this region for many years. It also became the daily mail boat, tra- versing the bay from Castine to West Brooksville, Islesboro, Camden, Belfast, and Castine. This little boat seemed to set the pace of the vil- lage life of Castine, as the mailbag was always most important; every- thing depended on what time the "Rud" came in and what time the "Rud" left for Belfast. The Golden Rod was manned by four during the summer months and at other times by only two. The "Rud" had a real personality, as hospitable as the engineer's, who would invite early morning passen- gers to the boiler room for coffee, doughtnuts, and an egg done the way anyone wished. This interesting photograph made from one of the old glass plates shows the "Rud" approaching the old steamboat wharf at Bar Harbor. The summer mansion in the right background has been remodelled as a hotel. Steamer Golden Rod was last listed in the Register of 1929, indi- cating that the boat was not in service after that time; its bones now rest along the shore at Castine. Some of the old seafaring folk have it that "the 'Rud' hailed from Castine and died at Castine," though the boat had been registered at Bangor, Bucksport, and Belfast as well. The Golden Rod was 75 feet long, 15 feet breadth, 6 feet depth of hold; 71 gross tons and 52 net tons. 137