Shipwreck Report: Steamer Watertown (1864)

Identification & Site Information

• Vessel Name: Watertown
• Other Names: None
• Official Number: None (Canadian-built vessel)
• Vessel Type: Sidewheel Steamer, Wooden Hull
• Built: 1864, by George Thurston, Kingston, Ontario
• Owners at Time of Loss: Kinghorn and Hinckley
• Specifications  Length: 133 feet (40.5 metres)  Beam: 17 feet (5.2 metres)  Depth: 8 feet (2.4 metres)
• Tonnage: 179 tons

Operational History

The Watertown was built in Kingston, Ontario, in 1864 by George Thurston, a well-known Canadian shipbuilder. Designed as a Sidewheel Steamer, it likely served in passenger and freight transport along Lake Ontario and the Thousand Islands region, connecting key ports such as Kingston, Cape Vincent, Clayton, and Oswego.

Service Area:  Operated in the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River corridor, a vital trade and transportation route in the mid-19th century.  Likely used for short-haul trips, carrying passengers, mail, and light cargo between Canadian and American ports.

Final Voyage and Loss

• Date of Loss: September 6, 1865
• Location: Cape Vincent, New York (later drifting to Featherbed Shoal, Carleton Island)
• Cause: Fire
• Cargo at Loss: Unknown

Incident Details

The Watertown had docked at Cape Vincent for the night when a fire broke out in the cook’s cabin. The flames spread rapidly, and the fire was well-advanced before discovery. To prevent the dock from burning, the crew cut the vessel loose, allowing it to drift into the St. Lawrence River. The burning Steamer floated down to Featherbed Shoal, near Carleton Island, where it burned to the water’s edge.

Loss of Life Initially, it was believed that only one crewman perished in the fire. However, later discoveries revealed that a woman and two children had been trapped onboard, bringing the total fatalities to four.  This suggests that there may have been passengers aboard overnight, possibly traveling families.

Financial Loss The destruction of the Watertown resulted in a $20,000 loss, a significant sum in 1865, indicating that the vessel was likely relatively new and valuable at the time of its destruction.

Role in Lake Ontario Steam Navigation

The Watertown was part of a fleet of sidewheel steamers that played a crucial role in connecting communities along Lake Ontario.  Its service life was short, operating for just one year before the fire.

Maritime Tragedy in the Thousand Islands  The discovery of additional victims in the burned Hull adds to the historical significance of the disaster, as the full extent of the tragedy was not immediately known.

Connection to Cape Vincent & Carleton Island

Cape Vincent, a key port in New York’s Thousand Islands, was a major stop for steamships connecting to the St. Lawrence River and beyond.  Carleton Island, near where the wreck drifted, has a long history of maritime activity, including early naval operations and commercial shipping.

Wreck Site and Potential Remains

Location: Featherbed Shoal, near Carleton Island, Thousand Islands region, Lake Ontario.  Current Condition: The Watertown burned to the waterline, so any remaining wreckage would be scattered or buried in the riverbed.

Potential for Discovery: While some 19th-century wrecks have been located in the Thousand Islands, there is no known recorded dive on the remains of the Watertown.

Further Research and Resources

• Thousand Islands Museum (Clayton, NY)  https://www.timuseum.org May have historical records and photographs of 19th-century steamships in the area.
• Cape Vincent Historical Society Holds archives related to the town’s maritime history and shipwreck incidents.
• Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston  https://www.marmuseum.ca Includes records of shipbuilding in Kingston, where the Watertown was constructed.
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes  http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca  Features databases on steamships, shipwrecks, and trade routes.
• New York State Archives May hold insurance or ownership records for the vessel.

Conclusion

The Watertown (1864) was a short-lived but historically significant Sidewheel Steamer, lost tragically to fire in 1865. Built in Kingston, Ontario, it operated as a Lake Ontario Ferry and transport vessel before meeting its fate at Cape Vincent, New York. Its burning and drifting to Carleton Island remains one of the early maritime disasters in the Thousand Islands region, with the later discovery of victims in the Hull adding to its tragic legacy. While no known remains exist as it was recovered and repurposed, the vessel’s history is an important chapter in Lake Ontario’s Steamship era.