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.
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: Collingwood (1855–1857)
Official Number: C33525
Registry: Canada
Vessel Type: Wooden sidewheel steamer, passenger and freight
Builder: F. N. Jones, Buffalo, New York
Year Built: ca. 1852 or 1862 (sources conflict)
Dimensions: Not fully documented; typical mid-19th c. sidewheeler
Tonnage: Not precisely documented
Cargo on Final Voyage: Unknown
Date of Loss: 22 August 1862
Location: Mouth of Saugeen River, near Southampton, Ontario, Lake Huron
Coordinates: Not recorded; presumed shoreline wreckage
Depth: N/A (wreck grounded and broke up on beach)
Home Port: Goderich, Ontario (Vanevery & Rumball, owners)
Owners: Vanevery & Rumball (Goderich interests)
Crew: Unknown
Casualties: None
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.
Final Voyage & Loss
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 Dispositions
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.
Located By & Date Found
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.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted. No submerged wreck remains in navigable waters.
Dive Information
Not applicable – wreck destroyed onshore. No dive site exists today.
Crew & Casualty Memorials
No casualties reported. No known dedicated memorials for Kaloolah.
Documented Statements & Extracts
“The steamer Kaloolah, in attempting to aid the stranded bark Sir Charles Napier, was herself driven ashore in a gale, and in a few days broke up.” — Contemporary Canadian shipping report, 1862
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
Canadian registry number C33525. Owned by Vanevery & Rumball of Goderich. Possible insurance records may survive in 19th-century Canadian marine insurance ledgers. No further registry documentation located.
Site Documentation & Imaging
No underwater documentation exists, as the wreck was destroyed onshore. Local archives in Southampton and Goderich may hold period photographs or sketches.
Image Gallery
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Vessels Database (BGSU/HCGL)
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Chronicling America (Library of Congress)
- Newspapers.com
- Saugeen Shores Historical Society
References
- “Kaloolah (sidewheel steamer),” vessel registry summary (Canadian registry no. C33525)
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes, vessel database entries (Collingwood/Kaloolah)
- Contemporary Canadian shipping reports, August 1862 (local newspapers, Southampton)
NOAA Shipwreck Record Card
Other Names: Collingwood (1855–1857)
Official Number: C33525
Coordinates: Not applicable; grounded at Saugeen River mouth
Depth: N/A (onshore wreck)
Location Description: Mouth of Saugeen River, Southampton, Ontario, Lake Huron
Vessel Type: Wooden sidewheel steamer
Material: Wood (engine recycled from Lexington and Uncle Sam)
Dimensions: Not fully documented
Condition: Grounded and destroyed onshore; total loss
Cause of Loss: Gale, driven ashore during rescue attempt
Discovery Date: N/A (loss documented 1862)
Discovered By: N/A
Method: Contemporary shoreline recovery
Legal Notes: Vessel declared total loss; no extant site
Hazards: None
Permits Required: N/A