Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Indiana
- Type: Wooden sidewheel steamer
- Year Built: 1841
- Builder: Keating & Church, Toledo, Ohio
- Dimensions: Length 175 ft (53.3 m); Beam 26 ft (7.9 m); Depth 12 ft (3.7 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 534 (old measurement system)
- Location: Off Conneaut, Ohio
- Coordinates: Unknown
- Official Number: N/A (pre-1867 registry)
- Original Owners: Wilcox Bros. (Toledo); Ansel R. Cobb & John Palmer (Buffalo); Capt. C. Appleby et al. (Conneaut)
- Number of Masts: 1
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Indiana was a wooden sidewheel steamer, notable for its size and design, built for passenger and freight service on the Great Lakes.
Description
The Indiana was a two-deck, wooden-hulled, sidewheel steamer built at Toledo, Ohio in 1841 by Keating & Church. She was celebrated as the largest and finest vessel yet constructed at Toledo. With one stack, 33 staterooms, and accommodations for 130 passengers, she was fitted for both freight and passenger service. Her vertical walking beam engine, among the most powerful on the lakes at the time, drove two massive sidewheels, making her a leading steamer on the Toledo–Buffalo route.
History
Laid down as Toledo but launched as Indiana, the steamer was enrolled at Maumee City in 1842 and commenced service with her maiden voyage to Detroit on 29 January 1842. She became a regular on Lake Erie’s busy Toledo–Buffalo corridor. Selected milestones in her history include:
- 1843: Wintered at Toledo after her second full season.
- 1844: Towed the disabled steamer Abert between Cleveland and Buffalo.
- 1845: Owned by Ansel R. Cobb (Buffalo) and John Palmer. On 7 November she struck a snag and sank in Maumee Bay, later raised and repaired.
- 1846: Machinery failure; towed by United States for repairs at Vulcan Foundry.
- 1847: Operated in the Buffalo–Cincinnati–Toledo service. Wintered at Buffalo.
- 1848: Sold to Capt. C. Appleby and partners of Conneaut, Ohio.
Significant Incidents
On 30 November 1848, while steaming off Conneaut, Ohio, the Indiana reportedly struck an obstruction. A fire broke out on board, quickly consuming the wooden superstructure. The vessel was totally destroyed and declared a total loss. Exact casualty figures are unknown, though most accounts indicate survivors.
Final Disposition
The wreck has never been formally located or surveyed. Given the intensity of the fire and subsequent sinking, few remains are expected to survive in Lake Erie’s nearshore environment.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Access: Not possible – wreck remains unlocated.
Depth Range: Unknown
Emergency Contacts: U.S. Coast Guard Sector Buffalo; Conneaut Fire & Rescue
Permits: N/A
Dive Support: N/A
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”indiana-1841″ title=”References & Links”]
Crew and passenger names from the loss event have not been fully recorded. No dedicated memorials are known for this vessel.
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.
Lead Image
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
Other Names: Originally laid down as Toledo
Official Number: N/A (pre-1867 registry)
Registry: United States
Vessel Type: Wooden sidewheel steamer
Builder: Keating & Church, Toledo, Ohio
Year Built: 1841
Dimensions: Length 175 ft (53.3 m); Beam 26 ft (7.9 m); Depth 12 ft (3.7 m)
Tonnage: 534 (old measurement system)
Passenger Capacity: 33 staterooms, accommodations for 130 passengers
Cargo Capacity: 2,000 bushels
Engine: Walking beam engine, single cylinder (48 × 84 in. or 49 × 91 in.)
Propulsion: Sidewheels, 24 ft diameter × 8 ft wide
Date of Loss: 30 November 1848
Location: Off Conneaut, Ohio, Lake Erie
Coordinates: Unknown
Depth: Unknown
Home Port: Toledo, Ohio (later Buffalo, NY; Conneaut, OH)
Owners: Wilcox Bros. (Toledo); Ansel R. Cobb & John Palmer (Buffalo); Capt. C. Appleby et al. (Conneaut)
Crew: Unknown
Casualties: Unknown
Description
The Indiana was a two-deck, wooden-hulled, sidewheel steamer built at Toledo, Ohio in 1841 by Keating & Church. She was celebrated as the largest and finest vessel yet constructed at Toledo. With one stack, 33 staterooms, and accommodations for 130 passengers, she was fitted for both freight and passenger service. Her vertical walking beam engine, among the most powerful on the lakes at the time, drove two massive sidewheels, making her a leading steamer on the Toledo–Buffalo route.
History
Laid down as Toledo but launched as Indiana, the steamer was enrolled at Maumee City in 1842 and commenced service with her maiden voyage to Detroit on 29 January 1842. She became a regular on Lake Erie’s busy Toledo–Buffalo corridor. Selected milestones in her history include:
- 1843: Wintered at Toledo after her second full season.
- 1844: Towed the disabled steamer Abert between Cleveland and Buffalo.
- 1845: Owned by Ansel R. Cobb (Buffalo) and John Palmer. On 7 November she struck a snag and sank in Maumee Bay, later raised and repaired.
- 1846: Machinery failure; towed by United States for repairs at Vulcan Foundry.
- 1847: Operated in the Buffalo–Cincinnati–Toledo service. Wintered at Buffalo.
- 1848: Sold to Capt. C. Appleby and partners of Conneaut, Ohio.
Final Dispositions
On 30 November 1848, while steaming off Conneaut, Ohio, the Indiana reportedly struck an obstruction. A fire broke out on board, quickly consuming the wooden superstructure. The vessel was totally destroyed and declared a total loss. Exact casualty figures are unknown, though most accounts indicate survivors.
Located By & Date Found
The wreck has never been formally located or surveyed. Given the intensity of the fire and subsequent sinking, few remains are expected to survive in Lake Erie’s nearshore environment.
Notmars & Advisories
None currently listed by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Dive Information
Access: Not possible – wreck remains unlocated.
Depth Range: Unknown
Emergency Contacts: U.S. Coast Guard Sector Buffalo; Conneaut Fire & Rescue
Permits: N/A
Dive Support: N/A
Crew & Casualty Memorials
Crew and passenger names from the loss event have not been fully recorded. No dedicated memorials are known for this vessel.
Documented Statements & Extracts
“The Indiana, with 33 staterooms, capable of carrying 130 passengers, and sidewheels of 24 feet in diameter, is the largest and finest vessel yet built at Toledo.” – Toledo Blade, 1841
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
Enrolled at Maumee City, Ohio, 1842. Ownership recorded under Ansel R. Cobb & John Palmer (Buffalo) in 1845, later Capt. C. Appleby et al. (Conneaut) in 1848. Registry struck after fire loss. Insurance details not found in surviving records.
Site Documentation & Imaging
The wreck has not been identified archaeologically. No imaging exists of the site. Historic accounts describe the vessel as a total fire loss.
Image Gallery
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Vessels Database (BGSU/HCGL)
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Chronicling America (Library of Congress)
- Newspapers.com
References
- Toledo Blade, 1841–1848, launch and operations coverage.
- Great Lakes Vessel Database (BGSU/HCGL).
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes – early steam navigation entries.
NOAA Shipwreck Record Card
Other Names: Toledo (laid down)
Official Number: N/A
Coordinates: Unknown (off Conneaut, Ohio)
Depth: Unknown
Location Description: Lake Erie, near Conneaut
Vessel Type: Wooden sidewheel passenger steamer
Material: Wood
Dimensions: 175 × 26 × 12 ft; 534 tons (old system)
Condition: Burned and destroyed
Cause of Loss: Fire after striking obstruction
Discovery Date: Not located
Discovered By: N/A
Method: N/A
Legal Notes: Registry closed 1848
Hazards: None (wreck scattered)
Permits Required: N/A