From the nearby sign at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum:
“We don’t know! While we don’t know the exact ship on which this wheel was used, it must have been a big one. Some wheels were made very large so they could be operated by more than one person in heavy weather. A ship’s wheel adjusts the angle of the rudder to hold the ship on course. Although this wheel can no longer turn, it does make an excellent photo-op – strike your best pose and snap a photo!”
Ship’s Wheel, Lake Champlain Maritime Museum Collection