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
[shotline_reference_links slug=”oliver-h-perry-1869″ title=”References & Links”]
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.
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
Other Names: None reported
Official Number: Unknown
Registry: United States (unconfirmed)
Vessel Type: Steam-powered vessel (likely side-wheel or screw steamer)
Hull Material: Wood
Builder: Unknown
Launch Year: 1869 (launched August 13)
Dimensions: Unknown
Tonnage: Unknown
Propulsion: Steam engine
Owners: Unknown
Date of Incident: September 5, 1869 (approx.)
Location: Tied to wharf (fitting out berth, unspecified port)
Coordinates: Unknown
Depth: N/A
Crew: Unknown
Casualties: None reported
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.
Incident & Final Disposition
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.
Located By & Date Found
Nil return. No discovery, salvage, or wreck survey has been recorded.
Notices to Mariners & Advisories
Nil return. No NOTMARs or hazard advisories related to this vessel.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Condition: Unknown; possibly destroyed, rebuilt, or broken up.
Accessibility: No wreck or remains identified.
Conclusion
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.
Resources & Links
- American Bureau of Shipping
- Donald V. Baut (private research collection)
- Edward J. Dowling Collection, University of Detroit – Mercy
- Great Lakes Register (BGSU)
- C. Patrick Labadie Collection
- William MacDonald Collection, Dossin Great Lakes Museum, Detroit
- Marine Directory, R. L. Polk Co., Detroit
- John E. Poole Notes, Bowling Green State University
- H. G. Runge Collection, Milwaukee Public Library
- Peter J. VanderLinden (private research notes)
NOAA/WHS Shipwreck Record Card
Other Names: None
Official Number: Unknown
Coordinates: Unknown
Depth: N/A
Location Description: Fire at wharf; cut adrift
Vessel Type: Steam-powered vessel
Material: Wood
Dimensions: Unknown
Condition: Unknown (uncertain if destroyed or rebuilt)
Cause of Loss: Engine-room fire
Discovery Date: Not applicable
Discovered By: N/A
Method: N/A
Legal Notes: No registry or abandonment records located
Hazards: None
Permits Required: None