Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Nile
- Type: Wooden-hulled sidewheel propeller steamer
- Year Built: 1852
- Builder: Port Dover, Ontario
- Dimensions: 190 ft (58 m) × 28 ft (8.5 m) × 12 ft (3.5 m)
- Registered Tonnage: ~650 tons
- Location: Moored at Detroit, Michigan, on Detroit River
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A mid-19th-century mixed-use propeller steamer, the Nile combined passenger and package freight services. Powered by a sidewheel steam engine, she was designed for regional routes along the Detroit River and into the upper Great Lakes.
Description
The Nile was a wooden-hulled sidewheel propeller steamer that served both passenger and freight needs. Her design was typical of the era, focusing on efficiency for regional transport.
History
On 21 May 1864, while at dock in Detroit, the Nile experienced a catastrophic boiler explosion. The blast obliterated the vessel, propelling massive boiler fragments hundreds of feet and causing widespread damage. Eight crew members aboard the vessel died, and one additional man ashore was killed.
Significant Incidents
- Catastrophic boiler explosion on 21 May 1864 while moored in Detroit.
- Explosion resulted in the death of eight crew members and one man ashore.
Final Disposition
The explosion resulted in the total destruction of the vessel. Any remaining hulk was likely scrapped or salvaged in the following days. No attempt to rebuild or refloat occurred, per contemporary records.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern archaeological study or dive survey has located remnants. The wreck site, being in shallow, urbanized dock waters, likely bears no recoverable remains.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”nile-1852″ title=”References & Links”]
The destruction of the Nile on 21 May 1864 illustrates the grave dangers of boiler operation aboard wooden steamers in dock—particularly in the era before modern safety valves and pressure gauges. Its sudden and violent end shocked Detroit’s maritime community and highlighted the imperative of improved marine boiler safety regulations.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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