United States. National Archives and Records Administration

Commercial traffic can be examined from the vessel, cargo and crew data compiled in the abstracts to form a view of the Great lakes regional economy around the middle of the nineteenth century. The information in each abstract generally contains dates of arrivals and departures, name and rig of vessel, clearance and departure ports, tonnage and crew data.

Annual reports of accidents and maritime law cases on the Great Lakes which were investigated by the Steamboat Inspection service and its successor, the Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation.

Present are 23 volumes containing copies of inspection certificates retained at the Cleveland, OH office of the U.S. Steamboat Inspection Service following examination of steam vessels. These annual inspections permitted vessels to operate on the Great Lakes. The certificates date from 1876-1910. The compiled information focuses on hull materials, boiler tests, recommended crew sizes, and maximum passenger limits for freight vessels, passenger vessels, and yachts.