1920s Atwater Kent Breadboard Radio Comes to Life

The volunteers at the NEWSM decided that we needed more working radio equipment to make a better visitor experience. Most radios are housed in a chassis to protect the components which makes it difficult to describe how it works to a visitor. 1920s vintage Atwater Kent Breadboard radios were built on a flat piece of wood with all of the components exposed which makes it easy to show the construction and operation.  →

1999 Spring Cleanup

Every spring a crew of volunteers wakes up the steam engines after their winter sleep. With the change of a few jackets this photo could have been taken in 1919 not 1999.  →

2000 Steamboating in Canada

In June of 2000, 35 steamboats came to Rideau Lakes in Ontario for a week of exploring the beautiful Canadian lakes and canals.  →

Antoinette F. Downing Volunteer Service Award

Robert W. Merriam, founder and driving force of the New England Wireless and Steam Museum in East Greenwich, was honored with the Antoinette F. Downing Volunteer Service Award at major statewide conference on April 18, 1998.  →

Pardon Armington

In 1883 Armington was part of the group that organized the Armington & Sims Engine Co. in Providence, Rhode Island.  →

Armington & Sims Engine Co.

Armington & Sims letterhead-late Armington & Sims produced high-speed piston valve steam engines. The Rites governor that was used on these engines responded to the changing speed of the engine as well as the rate of change in the speed. This caused to engine to have very accurate speed control, even with large load changes. Thomas Edison used these engines for his Pearl Street power plant because the excellent speed control would not let the lights flicker when the load changed.  →

Baxter Steam Engine Co.

Baxter engine Baxter Steam Engines were designed by William Baxter. Many were built under contract by the Colt Fire Arms factory in Hartford CT.  →

George Henry Corliss

"The American engine of Corliss everywhere tells of wise forethought, judicious proportions and execution, and exquisite contrivance."  →

Corliss Centennial Engine

This is the largest engine that the Corliss Steam Engine Company built. It was installed in the Machinery Hall of the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876. The engine had a 44 inch bore, 10 foot stroke, was more than 45 feet tall, had a fifty-six ton, thirty foot diameter, twenty-four inch face flywheel, and produced 1,400 horsepower at 36 RPM.  →

Dave, KA1EDP, contacts the Lightship Huron in Michigan.

Dave, KA1EDP, a volunteer at the New England Wireless & Steam Museum recently made a contact with the Lightship Huron in Michigan. He was using the Kenwood TS-850SAT transceiver that was recently donated by fellow volunteer, Ray Ortgiesen.  →

Reginald Aubrey Fessenden

From Brant Rock on Christmas Eve in 1906, Fessenden became the first person to broadcast musical and vocal programs over the air.  →

Granger Foundry and Machine Co.

The company was originally known as the Cove Foundry & Machine Company with William Smith Granger as treasurer (1866). The company was renamed and incorporated as the Granger Foundry & Machine Company on May 31, 1877.  →

William A. Harris Steam Engine Co.

Harris engine A large part of the machinery and tools at the company were invented and made especially for manufacturing stationary engines from 20 to 2,000 horse-power. The establishment is capable of turning out half a million dollars' worth of merchandise annually, which is shipped to all parts of the United States, and to Cuba, Mexico and Spain.  →

William A. Harris

"Since 1870, when the patent on the Corliss engine expired, Mr. Harris has manufactured it, with his own and other patented improvements, under the name 'Harris-Corliss Engine'."  →

Mechanical Television

Baird Television Cutaway Quite a few people experimented with forms of television in the early 1900s. In the "camera" for these TVs a very bright light went through holes in a spinning disk, reflected off an object, and went into a selenium cell that converted the light to an electrical signal.  →

Providence Engineering Works, Inc.

373 (521) South Main Street, Providence, Rhode Island. Manufacturers of Rice & Sargent and Improved Greene Steam Engines. The company was founded on March 28, 1899 by merging the Providence Steam Engine Company and the Rice and Sargent Company.  →

Providence Steam Engine Company

Sole Builders of the Improved Greene Engine. Stationary and Marine Boilers, Sheet-iron Work, Etc., Rathbone Gardner, President; Wm. B. Waterman, Treasurer; T. W. Phillips, Secretary and Gen'l Manager; Nos. 373 to 379 South Main Street, Providence, Rhode Island.  →

Restoring the Corliss Engine

Side view of the Corliss engine in Stratton, ME The restoration of what is likely to be the only engine designed and built by George H. Corliss that is running under steam today.  →

Rice & Sargent Engine Company

Richard Henry Rice and John Warren Sargent formed the Rice & Sargent Engine Company in 1895. Their engines were originally built by the Builder's Iron Foundry in Providence, RI. Later engines were built by the Providence Engineering Works.  →

Shipman Engine Export Co.

"These engines are made from 1 to 8 horse power, and are simple, efficient and economical. They are desirable above all other small power engines, because you can be your own engineer and fireman; they are economical in the use of fuel, automatic in their water and fuel supply, and consume only the amount of fuel required for the power taken."  →

Gardiner C. Sims

Sims was a founder of Armington & Sims Engine Co. and at his death was president of the William A. Harris Steam Engine Company.  →

Steam-Down 2009

On October 31 we held the 2009 Original Yankee Steam-Down. This gave enthusiasts who missed the Steam-Up due to rain a chance to visit the Museum and see all of the exhibits in operation. Videos by Michael Thompson.  →

Steam-Up 2009

We had a very wet Steam-Up this year. Even with the rain the usual die-hard exhibitors and enthusiasts were here. Photos by Michael Thompson.  →

Steam-Up 2016

The 52st Yankee Steam Up was held on Saturday, October 1, 2016. It was a rainy day, but there was a good crowd. The steam building was popular because it was nice and warm.  →

Steam-Up 2020

Yankee Steam-Up 2020 was held on Saturday, October 3, 2020. Due to Covid-19 concerns, Steam-Up was a virtual event on our YouTube channel this year. We’d prefer to see you all in person, but we do hope this allows enthusiasts from all over the world access our wonderful collection for the first time. If you … Continue reading "Steam-Up 2020"  →

Steam-Up 2021

Steam-Up 2021, our 54th, was held on Sunday October 3. The weather was dry and cool so we had a great day. Click on any image below to view larger images. Steam-Up 2021 was supported by IEEE Providence Section  →

Steam-Up 2022

We had a rainy Steam-Up 2022, our 55th, but we still had a great day. Let us know if you have any Steam-Up images or movies that you would like to donate to the museum.  →

B.F. Sturtevant Co.

"Sole manufacturers of the Sturtevant Blowers. Exhaust fans, steam hot blast apparatus, steam engines, portable forges, etc."  →