AH-WR-0833

Yosemite

Inland Steamboat · United States · Lost 1909 · Puget Sound & Discovery Bay

A grand 1862-built wooden side-wheeler, famous on San Francisco Bay and the Fraser River, that ended her long career wrecked in Port Orchard Narrows in 1909.

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Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents.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

Built in 1862 in San Francisco, the ornate wooden side-wheeler Yosemite spent nearly five decades running on San Francisco Bay, the Sacramento River, the lower Fraser River in British Columbia, and finally Puget Sound excursion routes. She was wrecked at Port Orchard Narrows on July 9, 1909, ending one of the longest careers of any Pacific Coast side-wheeler.

Vessel

Built: 1862
Builder: John Gunder North
Yard: San Francisco, California
Material: Wood
Length: 282 ft
Beam: 35 ft
Tonnage: 1525
Propulsion: Walking-beam steam engine, side paddle wheels
Owners: Puget Sound excursion operators (at time of loss)

Loss

Date: July 9, 1909
Cause: Not established
Location: Port Orchard Narrows, Puget Sound
Water: Puget Sound
Voyage: Not established
Cargo: Not established
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: Not established
Master: Not established

The Wreck Today

Depth: Not established
Condition: Not established
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Not established

Position

Coordinates: 47.58° N 122.57° W
Accuracy: Approximate position
Nearest: Port Orchard Narrows, Washington
Region: Puget Sound & Discovery Bay

Wikipedia and paddlesteamers.info document that the sidewheeler Yosemite wrecked at Port Orchard Narrows (Rich Passage) on July 9, 1909; coordinates given are the general charted position of Port Orchard Narrows/Rich Passage, as no precise wreck-site fix was found.