Oliver H. Perry (1869)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Oliver H. Perry
• Type: Steam-powered vessel
• Year Built: 1869
• Builder: Unknown
• Dimensions: Unknown
• Registered Tonnage: Unknown
• Location: Tied to wharf (fitting out berth, unspecified port)
• Coordinates: Unknown
• Official Number: Unknown
• Original Owners: Unknown
• Number of Masts: Unknown

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Oliver H. Perry was a newly launched wooden steam vessel in 1869, possibly configured as a small passenger packet steamer or ferry. The presence of an engine room suggests design for Great Lakes or coastal service.

Description

Built and launched in August 1869, the Oliver H. Perry was still undergoing final outfitting at her berth when a fire erupted in her engine compartment less than a month later. In line with standard fire-control practice of the era, crews cut her free from her wharf to prevent the fire from spreading to dockside structures. She drifted while ablaze, but her subsequent fate remains undocumented.

History

The vessel was launched on August 13, 1869. While completing her fitting out, she suffered an engine-room fire in early September. Reports suggest she was cut adrift to protect harbor infrastructure, but no official records confirm whether she was extinguished, salvaged, rebuilt, or lost entirely. No casualty reports have been identified.

Significant Incidents

The fire broke out in the engine room, leading to the decision to cut the vessel loose from her moorings. This measure minimized risk to the wharf but left the vessel drifting while burning. Her final disposition is unrecorded; she may have been extinguished, sunk, or rebuilt. No evidence of loss of life exists.

Final Disposition

The Oliver H. Perry experienced a catastrophic fire within weeks of her launch in 1869. Cut adrift while ablaze, her ultimate fate—whether as a total loss, later repair, or dismantling—remains undocumented. Until further archival research in local newspapers, shipyard records, or marine registries yields more evidence, her history remains incomplete.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Condition: Unknown; possibly destroyed, rebuilt, or broken up.
Accessibility: No wreck or remains identified.

Resources & Links

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The Oliver H. Perry experienced a catastrophic fire within weeks of her launch in 1869. Cut adrift while ablaze, her ultimate fate—whether as a total loss, later repair, or dismantling—remains undocumented. Until further archival research in local newspapers, shipyard records, or marine registries yields more evidence, her history remains incomplete.