Schooner Iroquois photographed during the Commodore Gerry Cup race in August, 1892. Iroquois, designed by A. Cary Smith and built by the Harlan & Hollingsworth yard, Wilmington DE, in 1886, was at the time owned by the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht club´s Vice Commodore Ralph Ellis. My colorization of the original Detroit Publishing Co. image in the Library of Congress archive. "Originally named Julia, IROQUOIS was commissioned by her owner C.W Chapin to be a good winter cruiser. IROQUOIS lines showed her to be a real innovation combining deep lines , with a centreboard passing through her ballasted keel. She was one of the first generation of steel built compromise yachts. After her launch she cruised down the American East Coast to Havana where she spent the winter.On her return to New York Chapin sold Julia to T. Jefferson Coolidge. Coolidge had larger spars put in her and under the new name of Iroquois raced her competitively throughout 1887, having many good races against the schooner Sachem. In March 1888 her seaworthiness was put to the test when she safely rode out a hurricane which was responsible for the loss of many ships including the Yawl Cythera. Coolidge continued to race IROQUOIS with great success in 1888, 89 and 90. In 1891 he sold her to the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club's Vice Commodore Ralph Ellis. He in turn sold her to Vice Commodore Henry C Rouse in 1895. Iroquois continued to race against the latest schooners including Herreshoff's Colonia in 1897. In 1897 Rouse turned his schooner over to The Seawanhaka Yacht Club for use as the club's flagship." www.valejogallery.com