Seneca Chief - Canandaigua Lake, NY

3D Model

The Seneca Chief was one of few steel hulled steamboats to ply the waters of New York’s Finger Lakes. The 50-ft screw steamer was built in Buffalo and transported by rail to Canandaigua Lake. The ship was originally launched on August 5, 1887 in an effort to supplement the passenger and freight trips of an older steamer, Canandaigua. The vessel was re-launched following repairs resulting from a fire in 1888.

The career of the Seneca Chief was not very successful given its slow speed, small deck space, and low cargo capacity. In 1896, the ship was dismanteled, and its hull scuttled in the lake. The engine was installed in the steamer Oriana, and later the scow Mary Ann.

The hull was rediscovered in 2014 by local resident Scott Hill. I would like to thank Scott and the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Association (CLWA) for providing the opportunity to record this unique site.

1925 photos taken with timelapse photo mode, Go-Pro Hero 10, rendered in Agisoft Metashape