SS Central America

E677221

SS Central America was a 19th-century American steamship famed for its 1857 sinking while carrying a massive cargo of California Gold Rush treasure, an event that contributed to a major financial panic.

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Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf shipwreck
sidewheel steamer
steamship
builder William H. Brown & Co. NERFINISHED
captain William Lewis Herndon NERFINISHED
carriedCargo California Gold Rush treasure
gold bullion
gold coins
casualtyCount over 400
causeOfWreck hurricane
constructionSite New York City NERFINISHED
coordinatesOfWreck approximately 160 miles east of Charleston, South Carolina
countryOfOrigin United States of America
surface form: United States
crewCount about 100
dateOfWreck 1857-09-12
discoverer Columbus-America Discovery Group NERFINISHED
Tommy Thompson NERFINISHED
discoveryDate 1988
era California Gold Rush NERFINISHED
estimatedGoldCargoValueAtTime about US$1.6 million
estimatedGoldCargoWeight about 13,600 kilograms
event sank in a hurricane in 1857
historicalImpact contributed to the Panic of 1857
launchDate 1853
legalDisputes subject of extensive salvage litigation
length about 280 feet
locationOfWreck Atlantic Ocean NERFINISHED
off the coast of South Carolina
mediaCoverage widely reported in 19th-century American newspapers
nickname Ship of Gold NERFINISHED
notableArtifact gold ingots from California assayers
large quantities of mid-19th-century U.S. gold coins
operator United States Mail Steamship Company NERFINISHED
passengerCount about 500
portOfRegistry New York City NERFINISHED
propulsion side paddle wheels
steam engine
registeredAs U.S. mail steamer
route New York–Aspinwall NERFINISHED
New York–Panama NERFINISHED
stopover Havana, Cuba NERFINISHED
survivorCount about 153
tonnage about 2800 tons
use cargo ship
mail steamer
passenger ship
voyageDestination New York City NERFINISHED
voyageOrigin Aspinwall, Panama NERFINISHED
wreckDepth about 2200 meters

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

William Lewis Herndon commanded SS Central America