City of Washington
Steamship · United States · Lost 1917 · The Florida Keys
A Ward Line steamer, once famous for aiding Maine survivors in 1898, wrecked on Elbow Reef in 1917.
Become Captain of RecordSee Shipwreck on Map
The Vessel and Her Loss
City of Washington was a Ward Line iron steamship built in 1877, notable for having assisted survivors after the sinking of USS Maine in Havana harbor in 1898. She later ran aground on Elbow Reef in the Florida Keys on 8 July 1917 and was lost. The wreck now lies broken and scattered on the reef. It remains a popular shallow dive site.
Vessel
- 1877
- Not established
- Not established
- Iron
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Steam, single screw
- Ward Line
Loss
- July 8, 1917
- Grounding
- Off Elbow Reef, Florida Keys
- Atlantic Ocean
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
The Wreck Today
- 25 ft
- Broken and scattered on the reef
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
Position
- 25.15° N 80.26° W
- Approximate position
- Elbow Reef, Florida Keys
Evidence
Overall confidence: Partially documented (70/100)
Casualty figures, if any, are not firmly established in the sources reviewed.
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Loss location and history
