Side-Wheel Steamer Niagara (Built 1845)

3D Model

NIAGARA was built in in Buffalo, NY as a passenger and packet freight steamer, taking passengers and cargo throughout the Great Lakes. The vessel was considered to be one of the nicest passenger steamers of its time and could carry nearly 300 passengers. On September 24, 1856, while just north of Port Washington, Wisconsin, a fire was discovered in NIAGARA’s hold, which quickly began to spread, forcing many passengers jumto jump into the water or into lifeboats from the vessel’s deck. In the end, 60 passengers and crew did not survive. The vessel burned to the waterline and sank in 55 feet of water, approximately a mile north of Port Washington. Today, the aft section of NIAGARA sits in 55 feet of water, with its walking beam engine, floor keelsons, side hull sections, and boilers remaining. The vessel’s two paddlewheels used to remain intact and upright, however, years of damage caused them to collapse. Sections of the paddlewheels can still be seen in the sand.

Data collected: 2021