Identification & Site Information

• Name: EQUATOR
• Other Names: EL DORADO
• Official Number: 7233 (Renumbered as EL DORADO – US135117 after 1870 Rebuild)
• Date Built and Launched: 1857
• Builder: F.N. Jones, Buffalo, New York
• Original Owner: New York Central Railroad Co. (Dean Richmond, president)
• Vessel Type: Propeller-driven Steamship (later Rebuilt as a Barge)
• Number of Decks: 2 (later converted to 1 Deck as EL DORADO)
• Hull Materials: Wood
• Power:
• Number of Masts: 1 (before Conversion)
• Engine Type: Oscillating steam engine
• Measurements: Length: 184 ft (56.08 m) Beam: 31 ft (9.45 m) Depth: 11.6 ft (3.54 m)
• Tonnage (Old Style): 620 65/95 tons
• Tonnage (After Rebuild in 1870 as EL DORADO): 487 gross tons

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Vessel Type

The EQUATOR was a wooden-hulled, screw-propelled Steamer, built for freight and passenger service on the Great Lakes. It was a duplicate of other vessels constructed by F.N. Jones, including the ECLIPSE, EQUINOX, and SUN. These vessels were part of the New York Central Railroad’s shipping operations, linking Buffalo, Toledo, and Chicago.

Like many Great Lakes propellers of the time, the EQUATOR was designed to transport bulk cargo such as grain, salt, and lumber, as well as passengers.

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History

The EQUATOR had an active but troubled career, experiencing multiple accidents, collisions, and ownership changes. Over its 23-year service life, it was wrecked, salvaged, converted into a Barge, and ultimately lost at sea.

Key Events in the Vessel’s History:

• 1857, May 12: The EQUATOR was enrolled in Buffalo, NY, and entered service on the Sandusky Line.
• 1862, October: Collided with the Schooner JOE VILAS at Buffalo, NY, sustaining damage.
• 1863: Repaired and reassigned to the Lake Erie & Green Bay Line.
• 1865, June 12: Remeasured to 902.48 tons and operated on the Buffalo-Toledo run.
• 1867, May 4: Purchased by William G. Fargo, Buffalo, NY.
• 1867, July 6: Owned by E.A. Buck, chartered to operate on the Belle City Line (Racine, WI – Buffalo, NY), focusing on grain transport.
• 1868: Acquired by S. Webster, Chicago, IL.
• 1869, September: Damaged in a freshet at Buffalo, NY.
• 1869, November 17: Wrecked at North Manitou Island, Lake Michigan while carrying railroad ties, salt, and apples.
• 1870:
• Sold as a wreck to Mark J. Tyson, Milwaukee, WI, and George Robinson, Manistee, MI.
• Salvaged and towed by the Tug LEVIATHAN to Milwaukee.
• Rebuilt as a Barge, converted to 1 Deck, 3 masts, and renamed EL DORADO.
• Engine removed and placed into another vessel, the BISMARCK, which later towed the EL DORADO in the lumber trade along with the EMMA E. TYSON, D.L. FILER, and EVA S. ROBINSON.

After its Conversion to a Barge, the EL DORADO remained in lumber transport, shifting ownership between various Great Lakes timber companies.

• 1873: Owned by Ludington & Co., Chicago (620 tons).
• 1879: Owned by Menominee River Lumber Co., Marinette, WI.
• 1880, September 22: Purchased by L. Styfield, St. Clair, MI.

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Final Disposition

On November 20, 1880, the EL DORADO (formerly EQUATOR) was wrecked east of the harbor entrance at Erie, Pennsylvania.

• The exact circumstances of the wrecking event remain unclear, but many wooden barges of this era were vulnerable to storms and Hull failure.
• The vessel was Abandoned, and its documents were officially surrendered at Port Huron, MI, on January 31, 1882.

This marked the end of the vessel’s long and troubled career, spanning from passenger service to freight transport, then its Conversion into a Barge, and finally its wreckage off Erie, PA.

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Located By & Date Found

Nil return. There are no confirmed reports of the EQUATOR/EL DORADO‘s wreck being located. Given its wooden Hull and extensive salvage history, any remaining sections of the wreck may have deteriorated over time.

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NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return. No navigational hazards related to this wreck are reported near Erie, PA.

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Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File
• Edward J. Dowling Collection, University of Detroit Mercy
• H.G. Runge Collection, Milwaukee Public Library

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Conclusion

The EQUATOR/EL DORADO‘s career is a classic example of the life cycle of a Great Lakes vessel during the 19th century. Starting as a passenger and freight Steamer, the ship endured multiple accidents and wrecks, reflecting the hazardous nature of early Great Lakes shipping.

After being salvaged in 1870, the vessel lost its steam engine, was converted into a Barge, and continued to serve in the lumber industry before meeting its final wrecking event in 1880.

Like many of its sister ships, including ECLIPSE and EQUINOX, the EQUATOR saw numerous ownership changes, multiple rebuilds, and a shift from steam-powered navigation to unpowered Barge work.

Its final loss off Erie, Pennsylvania, marks the end of a vessel that had already outlived its original purpose, as wooden steamers were rapidly being replaced by larger, more efficient iron and steel ships.

If you’d like to learn more about other wooden steamers converted into barges or more about the Menominee River Lumber Company, let me know!