The J.W. Westcott II is a converted tug boat and it’s 45-feet long, 13-feet wide, travels 15 knots and is powered by a 220-hp engine.
It was founded way back in 1874 by John Ward Westcott as a little red rowboat off the coast of Belle Isle that he would row out to lake freighters to deliver mail.
On July 1st, 1948, the vessel became an official US Postal Service mail boat, making some 6,000 trips per year and handling over one million pieces of mail from early April to mid December.
Come check out this incredible operation!
What: Tour Detroit’s famous J.W. Westcott Mailboat
When: Friday, June 13, 2025
Where: JW Westcott headquarters (12 24th Street, Detroit, MI)
Time: 10am-11am/ Noon-1pm/ 2pm-3pm
Cost: $25.00 DHS members/ $35.00 guests
10am-11am
https://www.detroithistorical.org/events/j-w-westcott-boat-behind-scenes
Noon-1pm
https://www.detroithistorical.org/events/overflow-tour-j-w-westcott-boat-behind-scenes
2pm-3pm
https://www.detroithistorical.org/events/overflow-tour-j-w-westcott-boat-behind-scenes-0
Detroit’s J.W. Westcott II Mailboat is the World’s Only Floating Post Office!
