Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Oliver Newberry
- Type: Side-wheel wooden steamer (passenger & package freight)
- Year Built: 1832
- Builder: Oliver Newberry's fleet based in Detroit
- Dimensions: Length: 121 ft (37 m); Beam: Unknown; Depth of hold: Unknown
- Registered Tonnage: Approximately 140 tons
- Location: Off Point Abino, near modern Port Colborne, Ontario
- Coordinates: Not available
- Official Number: Not recorded
- Original Owners: Oliver Newberry
- Number of Masts: Unknown
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A mid-1830s side-wheel paddle steamer primarily used for combined passenger and freight work, built for early inland steam navigation on the Great Lakes.
Description
The Oliver Newberry, built under the direction of shipowner Oliver Newberry of Detroit, spanned approximately 121 ft with a 140-ton capacity. Named for its owner/operator, the vessel was among the era’s most substantial steamers, described as “the largest square-rigged vessel in operation on the Lakes.”
History
Enrolled in 1830 at Mackinac, the vessel served the rugged Detroit–Buffalo–Chicago trade routes, carrying passengers and mixed freight. In October 1838, while heading for Chicago after departing Buffalo, she encountered a fierce gale near Point Abino on Lake Erie. Her reefing efforts failed; she grounded and broke apart in the storm. Despite the violent wreck, all aboard were rescued. Contemporary press described her as “the noblest craft on western waters” and “at the time of her loss … the largest square-rigged vessel in operation.”
Significant Incidents
- October 1838: The Oliver Newberry was overwhelmed by a storm and driven ashore onto a reef, resulting in the vessel breaking up in the gale. All crew and passengers survived.
Final Disposition
The Oliver Newberry broke up along the reef and was declared a total loss. Salvage efforts, if taken, were limited; debris drifted and was likely dispersed.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No underwater archaeological rediscovery has been reported. The wreck site remains uncharted and lies in shallow reef waters near Point Abino, Lake Erie.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”oliver-newberry-1832″ title=”References & Links”]
The Oliver Newberry captures an early era of Great Lakes steam commerce: a large paddle-wheeler connecting major ports, carrying diverse cargo, and renowned for its status and build. Her destruction in an 1838 storm near Point Abino ended her voyages, though fortunately without fatalities. Though no dive records exist, her story persists as a prominent early steam steamer loss.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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