PS Keystone State
44°54′6″N 82°44′22″W / 44.90167°N 82.73944°W
Empire State, a paddle steamer of a similar age and size to Keystone State
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History | |
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United States | |
Name | Keystone State |
Namesake | A nickname for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
Owner |
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Port of registry | Presque Isle, Pennsylvania |
Builder | Bidwell & Banta of Buffalo, New York |
Launched | November 11, 1848 |
In service | May 1849 |
Out of service | November 9 or 10, 1861 |
Fate | Sank in a storm on Lake Huron |
Wreck discovered | July 2013 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Paddle steamer |
Tonnage | 1,354 GRT |
Length | 288 feet (87.8 m) |
Beam |
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Depth | 14 feet (4.3 m) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion | 2 × paddle wheels almost 40 feet (12.2 m) in diameter |
Capacity |
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PS Keystone State (also spelled Key Stone State) was a wooden-hulled American
On November 8, 1861, Keystone State left Detroit for
The location of Keystone State's wreck remained a mystery for 151 years, until it was found in July 2013 by shipwreck hunter David Trotter. The wreck rests in nearly 175 feet (53.3 m) of water northeast of Harrisville, Michigan, about 40 to 50 miles (64.4 to 80.5 km) from where Keystone State was last seen afloat.
History
Design and construction
Keystone State (also spelled Key Stone State) was built in 1848 by Bidwell & Banta of
Keystone State's wooden hull was 288 feet (87.8 m) long, while her beam was 35 feet (10.7 m) wide.[1][6][7][8][a] At her main deck, Keystone State had overhanging hull guards, which brought her overall beam to 63 feet (19.2 m).[7][8] Her hull was 14 feet (4.3 m) deep.[1][6][7][8] She had a gross tonnage of 1354 tons.[1][6][7][12][13]
She was powered by a 500
Service history
In 1849, Keystone State was
In October 1849, Keystone State was damaged and disabled in a gale on Lake Michigan, breaking one of her "hogging arches".[1][17] On April 15, 1850, Keystone State rescued the passengers of the paddle steamer Atlantic, which had run aground on Point Pelee.[18] On June 8 that same year, Keystone State collided with the schooner Comfort Ann off Rocky River, Ohio.[1][19] Keystone State rescued the crew of the schooner S.F. Gale, which sank in a collision with the schooner Telegraph in the Detroit River on November 11, 1850.[20]
Keystone State traveled to
On October 10, 1853, one of Keystone State's boilers exploded in the lower Detroit River, after one of her flues collapsed.[29][30] She did not sustain major damage, and was towed to Detroit for repairs by the paddle steamer Mayflower.[1][30] In 1854, Keystone State arrived in Buffalo with a bad leak. She sustained $3,000 (equivalent to $80,000 in 2023[31]) worth of damage, and was dry docked for repairs.[32] In 1855, Keystone State ran between Collingwood, Ontario, and Chicago, while also making stops in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.[1]
While running between Collingwood and Chicago on September 18, 1856, Keystone State sprang a leak in a gale on Lake Michigan; her starboard cabin was also smashed in. She was repaired in Detroit.[33] Due to the Panic of 1857, Keystone State and several other paddle steamers were laid up. When the American Civil War began in 1861, she was refurbished, and put back into service.[5][6] She was sold on October 30, 1861; her owners included G. Ritter and Frank Handel.[1][34] Keystone State re-entered service on November 7, when she arrived in Detroit.[12][35]
Final voyage
On November 8, 1861, Keystone State left Detroit for Milwaukee under the command of Captain Wilkes Travers.[36][37] Although her manifest listed her cargo as farm machinery, historians now believe that it had been intentionally mislabeled, and she was carrying gold military supplies intended to be used in the Civil War.[3][5][38] She was last seen by the schooner Bronson off Port Austin, Michigan, rolling in a storm, and appeared to be disabled.[3][38][39] She sank on either November 9 or 10, with the loss of all 33 of her crew.[3][38] No bodies from Keystone State were ever recovered.[40]
Keystone State's fate was unknown for over a week, until pieces of her wreck were spotted on November 21.
Wreck
Shipwreck hunter David Trotter of Canton, Michigan, located the wreck of Keystone State on the weekend of July 6–7, 2013, using side-scan sonar.[3][5][44] The wreck was found 25 miles (40.2 km) to 30 miles (48.3 km) northeast of Harrisville, Michigan, (roughly 40 miles (64.4 km) to 50 miles (80.5 km) north of where she was last seen), in nearly 175 feet (53.3 m) of water.[3][5] Trotter and his team, Undersea Research Associates, were able to identify Keystone State's wreck based on her size and features, as she was the only paddle steamer of that size still missing in Lake Huron.[38] The wreck is in a semi-collapsed state, encrusted with zebra mussels.[3][5][44] Keystone State's stern is relatively broken up, while her engine, boilers and paddle wheels are all still standing, and are in relatively good condition.[3][5][38] Trotter and his dive team were unable to find any of the farm machinery or rumored gold, speculating that Keystone State's crew jettisoned the cargo in an attempt to keep her afloat.[3][5][38] The wreck is surrounded by a large debris field.[3][38]
Notes
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library (2021).
- ^ Detroit Free Press (1849), p. 2.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Ellison (2013).
- ^ Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (2001).
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Zaniewski (2013).
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Berry (2021).
- ^ a b c d e f g h The Buffalo Commercial (1849c), p. 2.
- ^ a b c d e f g The Buffalo Daily Republic (1849), p. 3.
- ^ The Buffalo Commercial (1849a), p. 2.
- ^ The Buffalo Commercial (1849b), p. 2.
- ^ The Buffalo Commercial (1849d), p. 2.
- ^ a b c d e Swayze (2001).
- ^ Thomas Jewett & Company (1849), p. 66.
- ^ Associated Press (2013).
- ^ a b The Buffalo Commercial (1849b).
- ^ a b The Buffalo Commercial (1849c).
- ^ Buffalo Courier (1849), p. 2.
- ^ The Kingston Whig-Standard (1850), p. 2.
- ^ Buffalo Courier (1850), p. 2.
- ^ The Buffalo Commercial (1850), p. 2.
- ^ Detroit Free Press (1851a), p. 3.
- ^ Detroit Free Press (1851b), p. 3.
- ^ Detroit Free Press (1852), p. 3.
- ^ The Kingston Daily News (1852a), p. 2.
- ^ The Buffalo Commercial (1852), p. 3.
- ^ The Buffalo Daily Republic (1852), p. 3.
- ^ The Kingston Daily News (1852b), p. 2.
- ^ The Kingston Daily News (1852c), p. 2.
- ^ Buffalo Courier (1853), p. 3.
- ^ a b The New York Times (1853), p. 1.
- Gross Domestic Product deflatorfigures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
- ^ The Buffalo Commercial (1855), p. 3.
- ^ The Buffalo Daily Republic (1856), p. 3.
- ^ Detroit Free Press (1861d), p. 4.
- ^ Detroit Free Press (1861a), p. 4.
- ^ a b Detroit Free Press (1861b), p. 4.
- ^ a b Buffalo Courier (1861), p. 3.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Gardner (2013).
- ^ a b c The Buffalo Commercial (1861), p. 3.
- ^ Michigan Radio (2013).
- ^ Detroit Free Press (1861c), p. 4.
- ^ Wisconsin Historical Society (2015), p. 6.
- ^ The Grand Haven News (1861), p. 4.
- ^ a b United Press International (2013).
Sources
- Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library (2021). "Keystone State (1849, Steamer)". Alpena, Michigan: Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- "American Progress". Buffalo, New York: The Buffalo Commercial. 1849. Retrieved October 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- "An Immense Freight". Detroit, Michigan: Newspapers.com.
- "Another Arrival". Detroit, Michigan: Newspapers.com.
- Associated Press (2013). "Shipwreck hunter reports finding steamer Keystone State that sank in 1861 in Lake Huron". Toledo, Ohio: The Blade. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
- Berry, Sterling (2021). "Keystone State". Detroit, Michigan: Great Lakes Vessel Histories. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- "Collision – Brig Sunk". Buffalo, New York: The Buffalo Commercial. 1850. Retrieved November 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Collisions By Steam". Buffalo, New York: Buffalo Courier. 1850. Retrieved October 31, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Damage to the Key Stone State". Buffalo, New York: Buffalo Courier. 1853. Retrieved October 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- Ellison, Garret (2013). "Remains of Civil War-era shipwreck rumored to carry gold found in Lake Huron". Grand Rapids, Michigan: Booth Newspapers. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
- "Explosion of the Steamer Keystone State". New York City, New York: Newspapers.com.
- "For the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser". Buffalo, New York: The Buffalo Commercial. 1849. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- "Gale on Lake Erie". Kingston, Ontario: The Kingston Daily News. 1852. Retrieved November 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- Gardner, Don (2013). "Civil War-era shipwreck discovered in Lake Huron". Troy, Michigan: The Oakland Press. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
- "In Search of the Wreck of the Keystone State". Detroit, Michigan: Newspapers.com.
- "Last Night's Report". Kingston, Ontario: Newspapers.com.
- "Loss of the Oneida". Buffalo, New York: The Buffalo Commercial. 1852. Retrieved October 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Marine Disaster". Kingston, Ontario: The Kingston Daily News. 1852. Retrieved November 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Marine Disasters – Steamer Nile Ashore". Buffalo, New York: Buffalo Courier. 1849. Retrieved October 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Marine Disasters for 1854". Buffalo, New York: The Buffalo Commercial. 1855. Retrieved October 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Marine Intelligence". Buffalo, New York: The Buffalo Commercial. 1861. Retrieved October 31, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Marine Intelligence – Buffalo, September 25". Buffalo, New York: The Buffalo Daily Republic. 1856. Retrieved November 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- Michigan Radio (2013). "After 150 years, Keystone State steamer discovered in the Lake Huron". Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
- "More of the Keystone State". Detroit, Michigan: Newspapers.com.
- Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (2001). "Symbols of Pennsylvania". Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Archived from the original on October 14, 2007. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
- "Pleasure Excursion". Detroit, Michigan: Newspapers.com.
- "Probable Loss of the Keystone State". Grand Haven, Michigan: The Grand Haven News. 1861. Retrieved October 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Propeller Oneida". Buffalo, New York: The Buffalo Daily Republic. 1852. Retrieved October 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Steam Boat Arrangements on Lake Erie". Kingston, Ontario: The Kingston Daily News. 1852. Retrieved November 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Steamboat Lines and Appointments for the Season of 1849". Detroit, Michigan: Newspapers.com.
- "Supposed Loss of the Keystone State". Detroit, Michigan: Newspapers.com.
- Swayze, David (2001). "Great Lakes Shipwrecks – K". Port Huron, Michigan: Boatnerd. Archived from the original on April 17, 2002. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
- "The Key–Stone State". Buffalo, New York: The Buffalo Commercial. 1849. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- "The Keystone State". Buffalo, New York: The Buffalo Commercial. 1849. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- "The Keystone State". Buffalo, New York: The Buffalo Daily Republic. 1849. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- "The Keystone State". Buffalo, New York: Buffalo Courier. 1861. Retrieved October 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- Thomas Jewett & Company (1849). "The Commercial Advertiser Directory for the City of Buffalo". Buffalo, New York. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- "The Steamers Keystone State and Baltic". Detroit, Michigan: Newspapers.com.
- United Press International (2013). "Civil War-era steamship Keystone State found in Lake Huron". Boca Raton, Florida: United Press International. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
- Wisconsin Historical Society (2015). "Lookout Shipwreck (Schooner)" (PDF). Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- Zaniewski, Ann (2013). "Great Lakes shipwreck hunter finds Keystone State, lost in Lake Huron for 152 years". Detroit, Michigan: Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on December 9, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2021.