Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Ogdensburg
- Type: Wooden propeller (steam screw)
- Year Built: 1852
- Builder: Moses & Quayle
- Dimensions: Length: 137.6 ft (41.9 m); Beam: 24.1 ft (7.3 m); Depth of hold: 11 ft (3.4 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 352 tons
- Location: Fairport, Ohio, Lake Erie
- Original Owners: P.E. Chamberlain & J.H. Crawford, Cleveland, Ohio; later Northern Transportation Co. of Ogdensburg, New York
- Number of Masts: 1
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Ogdensburg was a wooden-hulled, screw-driven propeller steamship — a common design in the 1850s when propeller technology was replacing side-wheel paddle steamers on the Great Lakes. Propeller steamers had better fuel efficiency, greater maneuverability, and more protected machinery than sidewheelers.
Description
Typical of mid-century propeller steamers, the Ogdensburg had a high, boxy upper works with a single mast for signal flags, plus two full decks to handle passengers, cargo, and machinery. Its compact screw-propeller design meant a lower profile, reducing windage and improving economy.
History
1852: Completed by Moses & Quayle in Ohio City for Chamberlain & Crawford of Cleveland, the Ogdensburg immediately went into cross-lake passenger and package freight service.
20 August 1852: Collided with the steamer Atlantic off Long Point, Lake Erie. The Atlantic sank, killing an estimated 150–250 passengers, in what became one of the worst Great Lakes maritime disasters of the century. The Ogdensburg itself survived, but the incident cast a shadow on its career.
1854: Registered under the Cuyahoga Customs District.
1860: Transferred to the Northern Transportation Co. of Ogdensburg, New York, reflecting the consolidation of cross-lake steam trade to larger corporate lines.
30 September 1864: While on a routine passage near Fairport, Ohio, the Ogdensburg collided with the steamer Snowbird. The collision was severe enough to destroy the Ogdensburg, which was declared a total loss. No fatalities were reported in the sinking itself, though details are scarce.
Significant Incidents
- 20 August 1852: Collision with the steamer Atlantic, resulting in the sinking of the Atlantic and significant loss of life.
- 30 September 1864: Collision with the steamer Snowbird, leading to the total loss of the Ogdensburg.
Final Disposition
Total constructive loss after collision. Some machinery may have been salvaged, but the hull was abandoned at or near Fairport, Ohio.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No definitive modern archaeological survey has confirmed the wreck site, though it is presumed off Fairport Harbor.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”ogdensburg-1852″ title=”References & Links”]
The Ogdensburg exemplifies the transitional era of Great Lakes shipping, moving from paddlewheel to screw propulsion. Though efficient and modern for its time, she was involved in one of Lake Erie’s worst disasters — the sinking of the Atlantic in 1852 — and met her own end in a collision 12 years later.
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.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Vessel Name: Ogdensburg
- Year Built: 1852
- Builder: Moses & Quayle
- Build Location: Ohio City, Ohio
- Type: Wooden propeller (steam screw)
- Number of Decks: 2
- Hull Material: Wood
- Original Owners: P.E. Chamberlain & J.H. Crawford, Cleveland, Ohio
- Propulsion: Screw propeller (single)
- Number of Masts: 1
- Dimensions:
- Length: 41.9 m (137.6 ft)
- Beam: 7.3 m (24.1 ft)
- Depth: 3.4 m (11 ft)
- Tonnage (old measure): 352 tons
- Final Location: Fairport, Ohio, Lake Erie
- Date Lost: 30 September 1864
- Cause: Collision with steamer Snowbird
Vessel Type
The Ogdensburg was a wooden-hulled, screw-driven propeller steamship — a common design in the 1850s when propeller technology was replacing side-wheel paddle steamers on the Great Lakes. Propeller steamers had better fuel efficiency, greater maneuverability, and more protected machinery than sidewheelers.
Description
Typical of mid-century propeller steamers, the Ogdensburg had a high, boxy upper works with a single mast for signal flags, plus two full decks to handle passengers, cargo, and machinery. Its compact screw-propeller design meant a lower profile, reducing windage and improving economy.
History
1852: Completed by Moses & Quayle in Ohio City for Chamberlain & Crawford of Cleveland, the Ogdensburg immediately went into cross-lake passenger and package freight service.
20 August 1852: Collided with the steamer Atlantic off Long Point, Lake Erie. The Atlantic sank, killing an estimated 150–250 passengers, in what became one of the worst Great Lakes maritime disasters of the century. The Ogdensburg itself survived, but the incident cast a shadow on its career.
1854: Registered under the Cuyahoga Customs District.
1860: Transferred to the Northern Transportation Co. of Ogdensburg, New York, reflecting the consolidation of cross-lake steam trade to larger corporate lines.
30 September 1864: While on a routine passage near Fairport, Ohio, the Ogdensburg collided with the steamer Snowbird. The collision was severe enough to destroy the Ogdensburg, which was declared a total loss. No fatalities were reported in the sinking itself, though details are scarce.
Final Disposition
Total constructive loss after collision. Some machinery may have been salvaged, but the hull was abandoned at or near Fairport, Ohio.
Located By & Date Found
No definitive modern archaeological survey has confirmed the wreck site, though it is presumed off Fairport Harbor.
Notmars & Advisories
No current Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) apply to this site.
Resources & Links
- PDF “Meeting of the Atlantic and Ogdensburg” – captures firsthand accounts and collision details alcheminc.com+2capturingconneauthistory.com+2steamboats.org+2
- Alchem, Inc. – Erie–Ashtabula Shipwrecks – confirms sinking of Ogdensburg by Snow Bird on 30 Sept 1864, notes cargo and loss details steamboats.org+4alcheminc.com+4capturingconneauthistory.com+4
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (O-section) – entry on Ogdensburg, including specs and collision summary greatlakesrex.wordpress.com+1greatlakesrex.wordpress.com+1
- Steamboats.org article – detailed description of Ogdensburg–Atlantic collision in 1852 steamboats.org
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes – for broader background
- Great Lakes Vessels Index (BGSU) – registry data
- David Swayze Shipwreck File – archival context
Conclusion
The Ogdensburg exemplifies the transitional era of Great Lakes shipping, moving from paddlewheel to screw propulsion. Though efficient and modern for its time, she was involved in one of Lake Erie’s worst disasters — the sinking of the Atlantic in 1852 — and met her own end in a collision 12 years later.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Wooden propeller steamer
- Screw steamer
- Lake Erie
- 19th-century passenger vessel
- Great Lakes collision
- Steamer Atlantic disaster
- Steamer Snowbird