Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Kaloolah
- Type: Wooden sidewheel steamer
- Year Built: ca. 1852 or 1862
- Builder: F. N. Jones, Buffalo, New York
- Dimensions: Not fully documented; typical mid-19th c. sidewheeler
- Registered Tonnage: Not precisely documented
- Location: Mouth of Saugeen River, near Southampton, Ontario
- Coordinates: Not recorded; presumed shoreline wreckage
- Official Number: C33525
- Original Owners: Vanevery & Rumball (Goderich interests)
- Number of Masts: Not applicable
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden sidewheel steamer, employed in passenger and freight service.
Description
The Kaloolah was a wooden sidewheel steamer employed in passenger and freight service on Lake Huron in the mid-19th century. Built either in 1852 or 1862 at Buffalo, New York, by F. N. Jones, she was powered by an engine originally from earlier American steamers Lexington (1838–1852) and Uncle Sam (1832–1837). This reflects a common practice of reusing major steam machinery in new hulls during the period.
History
Registered in Canada (Official Number C33525), Kaloolah reportedly also sailed under the name Collingwood from 1855 to 1857. She operated out of Goderich, Ontario, under Vanevery & Rumball, carrying both passengers and cargo across Lake Huron. Details of her regular routes and cargoes remain limited in contemporary records.
Significant Incidents
On 22 August 1862, while attempting to render aid to the bark Sir Charles Napier, which had grounded on 16 August near Southampton, Ontario, the Kaloolah was caught in a gale. She was driven ashore at the mouth of the Saugeen River, near Southampton. The vessel broke up on the beach over the following days. No lives were lost.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss. The hull broke up in situ on the beach near Southampton. No documented salvage of hull structure occurred, though machinery may have been recovered.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck was not rediscovered as an underwater site, as the vessel was destroyed onshore. Any surviving remains would be deeply buried in shoreline sediment or lost to erosion.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”kaloolah-c-33525-collingwood” title=”References & Links”]
No casualties were reported, and there are no known dedicated memorials for Kaloolah. The wreck is considered a total loss, with no extant site remaining.
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