Built in 1906 by the Skinner Shipbuilding Company in Baltimore, the Baltimore is the oldest steam-powered tugboat still in existence in the United States. Originally designed as a harbor inspection vessel, she also served a wide range of roles—as a municipal tug for city barges, an official welcoming vessel, a VIP launch, an auxiliary fireboat, and even a light icebreaker. In 1993, the Baltimore was designated a National Historic Landmark.

As a versatile harbor vessel, the Baltimore represented the City of Baltimore in many capacities. She hosted school groups, transported VIPs, and took part in ceremonial events. Notably, she greeted the German merchant submarine Deutschland on its first voyage to the U.S. in 1916—just before America entered World War I.

After the Baltimore Harbor Board was dissolved in 1956, the tug and other assets were transferred to the Maryland Port Authority. In 1981, her final private owners, Samuel F. and Joanna J. DuPont, restored and certified her as a steam yacht before donating the vessel to the Baltimore Museum of Industry.

Today, the Baltimore remains docked at the Port of Baltimore and  is protected under an easement with the Maryland Historical Trust, which ensures she remains within the Port as a lasting piece of Maryland’s maritime heritage.