AH-WR-0788

SS City of Columbus

Passenger Steamer · United States · Lost 1884 · Cape Cod & Nantucket Shoals

One of Martha's Vineyard's worst maritime disasters, this iron steamer struck Devil's Bridge in a gale, killing over 100.

Become Captain of Record See Shipwreck on Map

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Documented Likeness. Drawn from surviving builder's plans or clear photographs of this vessel. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

City of Columbus was en route from Boston to Savannah when she struck the Devil's Bridge reef off Gay Head, Martha's Vineyard, in a violent gale before dawn on January 18, 1884. The ship rolled over and flooded within minutes, sweeping most passengers into the sea. Only 29 of about 147 aboard survived, rescued over several hours by the Revenue Cutter Dexter and shore-based lifeboats. It remains one of the deadliest shipwrecks in Massachusetts waters.

Vessel

Built: 1878
Builder: Delaware River Iron Ship Building and Engine Works
Yard: Chester, Pennsylvania
Material: Iron
Length: 275 ft
Beam: 38 ft
Tonnage: 2200
Propulsion: Steam, single screw, auxiliary sail
Owners: Boston & Savannah Steamship Company

Loss

Date: January 18, 1884
Cause: Grounding
Location: Devil's Bridge reef, off Gay Head, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts
Water: Vineyard Sound, Atlantic Ocean
Voyage: Boston, Massachusetts → Savannah, Georgia
Cargo: General freight
Aboard: 147
Lives lost: 103
Master: Schuyler S. Wright

The Wreck Today

Depth: 0-50
Condition: Largely broken up and buried in shifting sand near Devil's Bridge.
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Not established