SS Columbus
Side-Wheel Steamer · United States · Lost 1850 · Chesapeake Bay
An 1828 steamship, among the first to work the Chesapeake Bay, burned and sank in 1850 with passengers aboard.
Become Captain of RecordSee Shipwreck on Map
The Vessel and Her Loss
Columbus entered service in 1828 as one of the earliest steamships operating on the Chesapeake Bay, carrying freight and occasional passengers between Baltimore and Norfolk. On November 28, 1850, while en route from Baltimore to Richmond, a fire broke out near the furnace and spread through the wooden hull. Only seven of sixteen people aboard survived. The wreck was located by NOAA in 1987 near Smith Point, Virginia, and later excavated by archaeologists who recovered her rare crosshead engine and paddle wheel.
Vessel
- 1828
- Not established
- Not established
- Wood
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Steam, crosshead engine, side paddle wheels
- Not established
Loss
- November 28, 1850
- Fire
- Chesapeake Bay near Smith Point, Virginia
- Chesapeake Bay
- Baltimore, Maryland → Richmond, Virginia
- General freight
- 16
- 9
- Not established
The Wreck Today
- 60 ft
- Broken and scattered hull remains with major machinery components
- Not established
- 1987
- Not established
Position
- 37.87° N 76.18° W
- Approximate position
- Smith Point, Virginia
Position derived from 1991-1992 archaeological survey near Smith Point.
Evidence
Overall confidence: Documented (82/100)
Exact dimensions and construction details of the vessel are not established in the sources reviewed.
Discovery, excavation, loss date, casualty figures, and engine recovery details.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Original 1987 wreck location survey.
