History #
ATLAS was a wooden propeller steamship built in 1851 in Buffalo, New York. It had a length of 153 feet, a width of 25 feet, and a depth of 11 feet, with a tonnage of 375 tons. The vessel was primarily intended for passenger and freight transportation.
On October 26, 1851, ATLAS encountered a storm near the mouth of the Grand River, Ohio (now known as Lorain), on Lake Erie. While bound from Detroit to Buffalo with a cargo of flour, the ship was blown ashore by the gale, resulting in it becoming stranded and a total loss. Fortunately, no lives were lost in the incident.
The ship was under the command of Captain Lewis W. Bancroft, and it operated out of Oswego, New York. Following its launch on April 12, 1851, the ATLAS embarked on its intended route between Detroit and Ogdensburg, New York, using the Welland Canal.
After the wreck, efforts were made to salvage parts of the cargo. The steamers GREAT WESTERN and FOX managed to salvage portions of the cargo of flour in November and December of 1851. However, it appears that the vessel itself was deemed irreparable and remained stranded at a location approximately 8 miles west of Grand River, Ontario, on Lake Erie.
The ATLAS, with its short-lived career, represents one of the many vessels lost to the unpredictable storms and treacherous conditions on the Great Lakes during the 19th century.
