Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Euphrates
- Type: Wooden-hulled screw-propeller steamer
- Year Built: 1856
- Builder: Bidwell & Banta, Buffalo, New York
- Dimensions: Length 178 ft (54.3 m); Beam 30 ft (9.1 m); Depth of hold 11 ft 8 in (3.56 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 587 35/94 (old measurement)
- Location: Sandusky Harbor, Lake Erie
- Original Owners: Buffalo & Toledo Transportation Co. (owned by New York Central Railroad)
- Number of Masts: One mast
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A mid–19th century wood-hulled propeller steamer, designed to carry both passengers and freight—common for inland lake and river service connecting Buffalo, Toledo, Sandusky, Detroit, and Green Bay. (linkstothepast.com)
Description
Single-deck wooden hull powered by a screw propeller beneath the stern. Masted primarily for auxiliary handling or rigging. Designed for versatility in mixed passenger-cargo service, with machine spaces likely amidships and accommodations at forward and aft.
History
- Launched in 1856 and entered service between Buffalo and Toledo under the Buffalo & Toledo Transportation Co.
- By 1857, managed by New York Central and Northern Indiana Railroads; collided with schooner C. J. Roeder in October 1857.
- Registered anew under Buffalo Creek in 1859; by March 1860 placed on Buffalo–Detroit/Green Bay routes. Expanded routes again in March 1861.
- Under Captain Parsons in 1862, operating regular transport along Lake Erie routes.
Significant Incidents
- Collided with schooner C. J. Roeder in October 1857.
Final Disposition
- Date: 13 May 1862
- Location: Grounded on the sandbar at the entrance of Sandusky Harbor, Lake Erie
- Cause: Vessel sprang a leak after hitting the bar, began breaking up, and was declared lost. Machinery was later salvaged. (linkstothepast.com)
- Note: Some sources indicate 23 May 1862 as final date. Surviving reports confirm machinery later recovered, hull destroyed by surf.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No documented archaeological survey; wreck likely has dispersed remnants within shallow harbor bar zone. No modern dive or preservation efforts are noted.
Resources & Links
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The Euphrates served as a vital mixed-service propeller steamer on Lake Erie during the 1850s–60s. Her grounding in May 1862 underscores both the challenges of advancing steam navigation over shallow bar entrances and the fragility of wooden steam hulls. Today, little remains besides the salvaged machinery and historical records—making her a footnote in Lake Erie’s maritime and railroad-associated transport heritage.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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