Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Europe
- Type: Wooden sidewheel steamer
- Year Built: 1870
- Builder: Unknown (likely Simpson or similar local builder)
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: Unknown
- Location: St. Catharines, Ontario
- Coordinates: Unknown
- Official Number: Unknown
- Original Owners: Unknown
- Number of Masts: Unknown
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
- Type: Wooden sidewheel steamer for passenger and freight operations
- Construction: Single-deck wooden hull powered by sidewheels—typical of Great Lakes river and canal service
Description
- Built: 1870, St. Catharines, Ontario (wooden, 1-deck, sidewheel steamer)
- Final disposition: Burned April 19, 1884, in St. Catharines; hull later converted into the steamer Erie
History
- Built in 1870 at St. Catharines shipyards (likely Simpson or similar local builder)
- Operated locally—details of ownership, routes, and capacity remain unverified and require further archival review
Significant Incidents
- Apr 19, 1884: Caught fire while “in the lock at St. Catharines”, sustaining extensive damage and rendered unusable (nyshistoricnewspapers.org, docsouth.unc.edu, en.wikipedia.org, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- No loss of life reported
- Hull stripped and salvaged; portions later repurposed into a new vessel named Erie
Final Disposition
- The vessel was rendered unusable after the fire and its hull was salvaged and repurposed.
Current Condition & Accessibility
- Details on the current condition of the wreck are not available; further research is needed.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”europe-1870″ title=”References & Links”]
The Europe represents a classic example of a mid-19th century sidewheel steamer that, despite its initial promise, succumbed to fire—a frequent hazard of wooden steamers. While its hull didn’t simply vanish, its conversion into Erie offers a fascinating link in vessel reuse and lifecycle in early Canadian maritime practice. Filling out historic and technical details—ownership, construction plans, engine specs—will not only clarify Europe‘s history but also chart the lineage of Erie.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
Identification & Site
- Built: 1870, St. Catharines, Ontario (wooden, 1‑deck, sidewheel steamer)
- Official number: Unknown
- Final disposition: Burned April 19, 1884, in St. Catharines; hull later converted into the steamer Erie
Vessel Type & Description
- Type: Wooden sidewheel steamer for passenger and freight operations
- Construction: Single-deck wooden hull powered by sidewheels—typical of Great Lakes river and canal service
Construction & Operations (1870–1884)
- Built in 1870 at St. Catharines shipyards (likely Simpson or similar local builder)
- Operated locally—details of ownership, routes, and capacity remain unverified and require further archival review
Fire & Final Disposition
- Apr 19, 1884: Caught fire while “in the lock at St. Catharines”, sustaining extensive damage and rendered unusable (nyshistoricnewspapers.org, docsouth.unc.edu, en.wikipedia.org, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- No loss of life reported
- Hull stripped and salvaged; portions later repurposed into a new vessel named Erie
Gaps in Record & Research Recommendations
- Builder & registry: Examine St. Catharines Daily Standard and marine registration logs (circa 1870–1884) for ownership, tonnage, and design specifications
- Insurance and salvage records: Investigate 1884 fire claims and shipyard paperwork for details on hull salvage and legal proceedings
- Conversion documentation: Locate conversion records or enrollment entries relating to the emergence of the vessel Erie from the hull remains
- Physical remains: Explore possibility of preserved sections of the hull incorporated into Erie—potentially visible through hull surveys or shipyard plans
Conclusion
The Europe represents a classic example of a mid-19th century sidewheel steamer that, despite its initial promise, succumbed to fire—a frequent hazard of wooden steamers. While its hull didn’t simply vanish, its conversion into Erie offers a fascinating link in vessel reuse and lifecycle in early Canadian maritime practice. Filling out historic and technical details—ownership, construction plans, engine specs—will not only clarify Europe‘s history but also chart the lineage of Erie.
europe-1870 1884-04-19 00:30:00