List of shipwrecks of Oregon explained

This is a list of shipwrecks of Oregon. The location is the nearest modern community or primary landmark.

North coast

Ship FlagSunk Date NotesLocation
Santo Cristo de Burgos 1693 The Spanish galleon Santo Cristo de Burgos wrecked on Nehalem Spit en route from Manila to Acapulco, loaded with a cargo of beeswax. The existence of the wreck was recorded in native oral history, with descendants of survivors including Chief Kilchis. It is the earliest known shipwreck in the Pacific Northwest.[1] [2] [3]
30 January 1852 A steamship that was grounded on Clatsop Spit and wrecked in heavy seas
Detroit 25 December 1855 A brig that bumped ground putting out of the Columbia River. Crew abandoned ship after she took on of water. Ship drifted south and ran aground at Tillamook Head.
Brant 1862 A schooner that was refloated.
Millie Bond 13 November 1871 A schooner that was wrecked on sand spit near Tillamook Bar. Refloated.[4]
Lupatia 3 January 1881 A barque that sunk with the loss of the 16 man crew. The only survivor was the ship's dog.[5] [6]
Kate L. Heron 27 April 1881 A schooner that was wrecked on Tillamook Bar. Parts washed up at Nehalem.
Pilots Bride 1 August 1881 A sloop that was stranded on Nestucca Bar.
Carmarthen Castle 2 December 1886 A barque that ran aground in Nestucca Bay.
Queen of the Bay11 November 1887 A schooner that was wrecked at the mouth of the Nehalem River.
Garcia 12 December 1893 A schooner that was wrecked near Cape Meares Lighthouse.
Occident 12 March 1897 A steam tug that sunk with the loss of all hands.
Lila and Mattie 9 March 1900 A schooner that was wrecked on Tillamook Bar.[7]
Laguna 6 April 1900 A steamship that went ashore on north spit of Tillamook Bar.[8] Refloated and towed back to San Francisco for repairs, but during a gale abandoned at a point ten miles SWW of Crescent City.[9] Ran aground on July 17 at the Klamath River for a total loss.
Pioneer 17 December 1900 The schooner's remains can still be seen when erosion takes place.
Charles H. Merchant 11 August 1902 A schooner that was stranded on Nehalem Spit, refloated and scrapped.
Gem 15 February 1904 A schooner that ran aground on the beach near the Tillamook Bay north jetty.
Peter Iredale 25 October 1906 The barque's remains can still be seen.
Gerald C. 10 May 1907 Wrecked on the north spit at the entrance to Nestucca harbor.
Antelope 30 September 1907 A schooner built 1887 in Benicia, California, for a salmon packer. Wrecked at Nehalem River.
Emily Reed 14 February 1908 A barque that was loaded with 2,100 tons of coal, the ship ran ashore and broke apart. The captain, his wife and seven crewmen survived, but eight died. Remains are occasionally seen after storms.
Hill 17 June 1908 A schooner wrecked at Nehalem Bar.
Ida Schnauer 17 June 1908 A schooner wrecked on Tillamook Bar. While waiting for tug into harbor, wind shifted and she was pushed ashore for a total loss.
Argo #1 26 November 1909 A steamship that struck the bar off the entrance to Tillamook Bay and foundered. Two crew and two passengers were drowned. Sister ship, the Argo #2, a river steamer, went down at Dixon Entrance in Alaska.
Vida 28 April 1912 A gas schooner that lost its rudder and broke into pieces on Tillamook Bar.
George R. Vosberg 3 May 1912 A steam tug that had its hull punctured by an underwater rock. The crew attempted to plug the hole with a spare fuel tank. Though the effort was ultimately futile, the crew was rescued.
C.T. Hill 30 July 1912 A schooner that was stranded on the south side of the Nehalem Bar. It was later salvaged.
Mimi 13 February 1913 A barque that later ran aground in fog on Nehalem Spit, then capsized in salvage operation, killing 17.
Glenesslin 1 October 1913 A square rig that sailed into the rocks at the base of Neahkahnie Mountain, on a clear day. All survived, but rocks penetrated the hull and little was salvaged. A naval court of inquiry ruled the cause was negligence.
Francis H. Leggett 18 September 1914 A steam schooner that was lost in a gale due to being overloaded. Two survived, but the 60 who were lost make it the worst maritime disaster in Oregon history. The railroad ties that were its cargo were used for construction in Manzanita when they washed ashore. [10]
Oakland 22 March 1916 A schooner which was abandoned at sea. After running ashore, it was raised and renamed Mary Hanlon. Ultimately lost off Mendocino, California.
26 May 1923 Foundered off Neahkahnie, washed ashore and covered by sand. Uncovered by a bulldozer in 1949.[11] [12]
Venus 4 November 1923 A gas schooner that capsized on Nestucca Bar. Captain Adolph Kangiser and his engineer made a swim for shore. The captain felt something tug him down. Kicking hard he managed to free himself. Upon reaching shore, he found part of his boot missing, though he himself was not injured.[13] The marks on the boots indicated a shark, making him the first shark attack victim in Oregon history.
Phoenix 5 November 1923 A gas schooner that capsized on Tillamook Bar. Four died.[14]
Sea Island 7 February 1932 Rum-Runner.
Tyee 6 December 1940 A tugboat that foundered off Tillamook Bar. The engine was ripped out, saving the crew by lightening the ship.

Central coast

Ship FlagSunk Date NotesLocation
Samuel Roberts 6 August 1850 Schooner
Bostonian 1 October 1850 Owned by a man named Gardiner, much of the vessel was salvaged and used in the building of the town of Gardiner, Oregon.
Almira 9 January 1852 Brig
Juliet March 1852
Nassau 22 July 1852 Schooner
Roanoke 2 February 1853 Brig
Joseph Warren 25 November 1853 Barque
Fawn 21 November 1856 Brig
Calumet 8 December 1856 A schooner that was wrecked at Siletz River while offloading supplies for Indian Affairs. Captain B. Jennings. [15] Siletz Estuary (Nechesne)
Blanco 1864 Brig
Cornelia Terry 13 October 1864 Oyster pirate schooner. Sank while being pursued by Annie G. Doyle.
Ork 24 November 1864 Barque
Annie G. Doyle 11 March 1865 A schooner that ran aground at nearly the same location as the pirate vessel Cornelia Terry, which it had pursued half a year prior.
Enterprise 20 February 1873 The sternwheeler's engines were later salvaged and installed on the vessel Beaver
John Hunter 1873
Meldon 16 March 1873 Schooner
Bobolink 00 October 1873 The schooner was salvaged, but later lost at Mendocino, California.
Sparrow 4 December 1875 Schooner
Lizzie 16 February 1876 Schooner
Caroline Medeau 5 April 1876 Schooner
Phil Sheridan 15 September 1878 A schooner that was run into by the steamer Ancon.
Olivia Schultze 28 April 1880 Schooner
Tacoma 29 January 1883 Steamship
Phoebe Fay 16 April 1883 Schooner
Ona 26 September 1883 Steam schooner
Beda 17 March 1886 Steam schooner
Emma Utter December 1886
Yaquina City 4 December 1887 This steamship was the predecessor of Yaquina Bay. Lost a year later at the same spot, effectively ruining the vessel owners, the Oregon Development Co.
Yaquina Bay 9 December 1888 Originally named Caracas. She was the sister ship of and successor of Yaquina Bay. Ran aground near the wreckage of Yaquina City and was declared a total loss.
Alaskan 13 May 1889 While sailing to San Francisco from the Columbia River, the Alaskan ran into bad weather and the river going vessel began to fall apart from the stress off Cape Foulweather. Sidewheeler.
Fearless 20 November 1889 Formerly a brig named Star of China. Ran aground in 1873, refloated, and converted into a tugboat. Loss not discovered until the next day when debris and one survivor washed ashore. However, he perished before he could reveal the final fate of Fearless.
Struan 25 December 1890 A schooner that was constructed in John Fraser's shipyard on Courtney Bay in Saint John, New Brunswick, in 1877[16] [17]
Maggie Ross 8 December 1891 Steamship
St. Charles 17 May 1892
Mary Gilbert 17 December 1894 Schooner
Bandorville 21 November 1895 Steamship
Volante 7 March 1896 A steamship that burned in Yaquina Bay in Newport.
Truckee 18 November 1897 Steamship
Atalanta 17 November 1898 A clipper that ran into a reef while coasting along the shore.
Nettie Sundberg 28 December 1902 Schooner
Charles Nelson November 1903 Steam schooner
Ocean Spray 20 November 1903 Schooner
Alice Kimball 12 Octember 1904 Schooner
Quickstep 24 November 1904 Barquentine
Bella 25 November 1905 A schooner located just south of the south jetty at the mouth of the Siuslaw river. Often buried in sand; occasionally visible at low tides depending on sand movement.
Alpha 3 February 1907 Schooner
Berwick 13 March 1908 Schooner
J. Marhoffer 22 April 1910 A steam schooner that caught fire off Newport, and drifted north, eventually grounding at what is now Boiler Bay. Boiler Bay was named after the discarded boiler from J. Marhoffer
Wilhelmina 22 January 1911 Gas schooner
Pilgram 1912 Sloop
Condor 17 November 1912 Cargo ship
Frederick 14 April 1914 Barge
Hugh Hogan 28 April 1914 A schooner that was refloated and renamed as Ozmo.
Graywood 2 October 1915 Steam schooner
Anvil 11 April 1917
Washtucna 17 August 1922 Barge
Admiral Nicholson 16 May 1924 A steam schooner that ran aground while towing the disabled G.C. Lindauer.
G.C. Lindauer 16 May 1924 A steam schooner that had a history of wrecks prior to final loss at Reedsport. Came loose and lost soon after the towing Admiral Nicholson wrecked.
Yaquina 20 February 1935 Coast guard patrol boat. Lost while attempting to aid the crew of a barge caught on the Yaquina Bar.
Parker #2 26 February 1935 Dredge
Dorothy Joan 13 September 1945
Etta Kay 11 December 1946 Schooner
John Aspin 22 April 1948 As of 1986, portions of the cargo ship's hull were still visible at low tide.
Helori 21 December 1949 Oil screw
L.H. Coolidge 20 August 1951 A tugboat that ran aground at Bandon. While under tow to the Columbia River by Salvage Chief, she came loose and sank of the coast at Yachats.
Captain Ludvig 25 June 1953
Blue Magpie 19 November 1983 Cargo ship
New Carissa 4 February 1999 Half of the ship. This half was beached before being towed off and sunk by United States Navy. The other half is at Coos Bay. The ship broke apart at Coos Bay, with the rear portion drifting north.

South coast

Ship FlagSunk Date NotesLocation
Bandon 12 Jan 1910 Grounded several times before being sold. Steamship
Cohansa 00 Jan 0000
Echo 00 Jan 0000 Refloated. Sternwheeler
Jackson 00 Jan 0000
New World 00 Jan 0000
W.L. Hackstaff August 1849 Grounded at Rogue River. Survivors marched overland to the Willamette Valley. Schooner
Captain Lincoln 30 December 1851 Schooner
Anita 1852 Barque
Chansey May 1854
Quadratus 1856 Schooner
Friendship 1860 Barque
Baltimore 1861 Schooner
Cyclops 1862 Schooner
Energy 1862 A brig with one survivor
Noyo 1868 Burned when her cargo of lime ignited.Schooner
D.M. Hall 3 October 1868 Barque
Alaska December 1869 Schooner
Ida D. Rogers 15 December 1869 Brig
Commodore 1870 Steamship
Charles Devans February 1870 Barque
Occident 3 May 1870 Barquentine
Bunkalation July 1870 Schooner
Jenny Thelin 1874 Refloated. Lost for good later at Punta Maria, California.Schooner
Laura May 1874 Schooner
Northwester 1875 Schooner
Mary Schowner 1876 Schooner
Messenger 1876 Sternwheeler
Harriet Rose 28 January 1876 Schooner
Perpetua 24 October 1876 Foundered in a gale offshore. Brig
Oregonian 16 January 1877 Schooner
Esther Colos 21 October 1879 Schooner
Gussie Telfair 25 September 1880 Formerly a Confederate blockade runner named Gertrude that had been captured. Steamship
Victoria 28 November 1883 Steamship
Mose 28 July 1884
Escort 21 December 1886 Sank in bay when its boiler exploded. Tugboat
Dawn 3 February 1887 Drifted for nine days before being towed into Coos Bay. However, abandoned due to the ship being waterlogged. Scow
Ocean King 26 December 1887 Destroyed by on board fire. Cargo ship
Julia H. Ray 26 January 1889 Schooner
Parkersburg 18 November 1889 Ran aground during storm attempting to enter Coquille River. Schooner
Rosalind 18 February 1890 Schooner
Express 8 September 1891 Destroyed by fire. Steamship
General Butler 8 December 1891 Started breaking up 100miles offshore. Part of hull drifted north and ran aground at the Yaquina jetty. Barque
8 September 1892 Previously ran afoul of Columbia Bar after rudder came loose.[18] Steamship
Emily 17 July 1893 Repaired and renamed Arago. The re-christened Arago sank at the same location. Steam schooner
T.W. Lucas 24 October 1894 Brig
Bawnmore 28 August 1895 Steamship
Ella Laurena 18 December 1895 Abandoned by crew during a storm. Found ran aground the next day. Schooner
Arago 20 October 1896 Struck bar previously in 1891 at same location. Steamboat
Cyclone 1897 Destroyed by fire prior to launch. Schooner
Moro 6 December 1897 Gas schooner
Eureka 30 November 1899 Schooner
Monterey 19 May 1900 Salvaged and converted into a whaler. Schooner
South Portland19 October 1903 Steamboat
Fulton12 February 1904
Western Home13 November 1904 Schooner
Del Norte1905 Collided with the vessel Sea Foam. Steam schooner
Onward25 February 1905 Schooner
Sacramento15 October 1905 Schooner
MelanopeDecember 1906 Began as a Cape Horn windjammer in 1876, turned into a barge after damage at Cape Blanco in 1906. Sunk to form part of breakwater at Royston, British Columbia in 1946. Barge
Daisy1907 Destroyed by forest fire prior to launch. Schooner
Chinook12 April 1907 Schooner
Novelty20 September 1907 Schooner
Marconi23 March 1909 Schooner
Czarina12 January 1910 Steamship
San Buenaventura14 January 1910 Abandoned. Final resting spot unknown. Schooner
Washcalore21 May 1911 Oil schooner
North Star #120 January 1912 Motor launch
Osprey1 November 1912 Gas schooner
Advent8 February 1913 Schooner
Randolph15 April 1915 Gas schooner
Claremont22 May 1915 Steam schooner
Santa Clara2 November 1915 Formally named John S. Kimball and then James Dollar. Steam schooner
Fifield21 February 1916 Second ship named Fifield. Steam schooner
Sinaloa15 June 1917 Gas schooner
Wallacut3 November 1918 Barge
Rustler24 August 1919 Destroyed by on board fire.
J. A. Chanslor18 December 1919 Oiler
Adel2 October 1920
Joan of Arc15 November 1920 Steamboat
Ozmo17 May 1922 Originally christened as Hugh Hogan. Schooner
Sea Eagle20 November 1822 Wrecked while towing the vessel Ecola. Ecola survived. Tugboat
Brush26 April 1923 Steamship
C.A. Smith16 December 1923 Steam schooner
Columbia17 February 1924 Steam schooner
Acme31 October 1924 Steam schooner
Mary E. Moore23 February 1927 Steam schooner
Sujameco28 February 1929 A steamboat that ran aground at Horsfall Beach in heavy fog missing Coos Bay entrance by a few miles. During World War II much of the hull was scrapped for iron. The wreck is partially visible each winter due to seasonal sand movement; more than usual emerged April 2010.[19]
Fort Bragg14 September 1932 Hit south jetty and ran aground inland. Steam schooner
E. L. Smith1 January 1936 Gas schooner
Phyllis9 March 1936 Scuttled by captain after ship sprang a leak. Steam schooner
Golden West29 March 1936 Cargo ship
Golden Bear1937 Superstructure began to fall apart, incapacitating the ship and crew. Towed by Active and converted into a barge. Now a part of a breakwater in British Columbia. Cargo ship
Cottoneva10 February 1937 Originally christened as Frank D. Stout. Steam schooner
Willapa #22 December 1941 Formerly christened Florence Olson. Crew saved by local fishermen. Steam schooner
Camden4 October 1942 Torpedoed off Coos Bay by the Japanese submarine . Towed north by tug Kenai to attempt salvage. Sank off Grays Harbor several days later. Oiler
Larry Doheny5 October 1942 Torpedoed and sank off Gold Beach by the Japanese submarine . Oiler
Susan Olson15 November 1942 Formerly named Willamette and California. Steam schooner
Y M S #13321 February 1943 A minesweeper
George L. Olson23 June 1944 Formerly named Ryder Hanify. Steam schooner
Alvarado16 March 1945 Steam schooner
Ida M.23 September 1948
Alice H.23 September 1950
Helen E.September 1951 A patrol boat that was grounded and burned.
Cynthia Olson9 June 1952 Salvaged by crew of Salvage Chief and repaired. Sister ship of Oliver Olson. Cargo ship
Oliver Olson3 November 1953 Filled with rocks and sank as extension of the south Coquille River jetty. Sister ship of Cynthia Olson. Cargo ship
Port of Pasco #51012 December 1953 Barge
Andrew Jackson5 March 1954
New Carissa4 February 1999 After running aground, oil cargo was burned out. Half of the ship remained beached while the other half was taken out to sea and scuttled. Remaining half has since been scrapped. Cargo ship

Rivers

Ship FlagSunk Date NotesRiver Location
Bully Washington 12 December 1857 Filled in as the foundation of a dock. Steamship
Telephone 5 January 1892 A steamship that struck the revetment on the eastern shore of Coon Island. Heavy fog prevented the pilot from seeing its red cautionary light. The 80 passengers and 30 crew members were all saved.[20] [21]
Regulator 13 July 1898 A steamship that was wrecked on the rocks. The 160 passengers and most of the freight were landed on the Oregon shore.[22] Towed in to drydock at Cascade Locks around 1 September. The hull was found to be a "complete wreck."[23]
Gypsy 11 June 1900 Tore hole in bottom and sank in 10feet of water.[24] Steamship
Rogue River 16 November 1902 Struck a rock at what is now known as either Boiler Rapid or Boiler Riffle. Sternwheeler
Welcome 13 November 1904 SternwheelerCoquille River

See also

External links

Shipwrecks map. Northwest Power & Conservation Council. Created 2020-02-07 based on Wikipedia references plus James Gibbs' Pacific Graveyard.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Williams . Scott . Beeswax shipwreck . The Oregon Encyclopedia . 24 February 2014.
  2. Web site: Beeswax Wreck Project . Maritime Archaeology Society . 18 June 2022.
  3. Web site: Legendary Spanish galleon shipwreck discovered on Oregon coast . https://web.archive.org/web/20220616151710/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/legendary-spanish-galleon-shipwreck-discovered-on-oregon-coast . dead . June 16, 2022 . 16 June 2022 . National Geographic . 18 June 2022.
  4. News: Pacific Coast Dispatches: Oregon. 28 December 2012. Daily Alta California (San Francisco, California). 18 November 1871. 1.
  5. Web site: What a wreck! . https://web.archive.org/web/20110122075859/http://www.cannonbeachgazette.com/entertainment/article_77f0e946-2353-11e0-8d3d-001cc4c002e0.html . dead . January 22, 2011 . cannonbeachgazette.com . Cannon Beach Gazette . March 22, 2011 .
  6. News: Marine Disasters Off Coast: Another Shipwreck. Oregonian (Portland, Oregon). 8 January 1881. 1.
  7. News: Wreck of the Lila and Mattie at Tillamook. 28 December 2012. San Francisco Call (San Francisco, California). 12 Mar 1900. 3.
  8. News: Laguna Still Aground. Oregonian (Portland, Oregon). 14 April 1900. 10.
  9. News: Laguna Wrecked Again. Oregonian (Portland, Oregon). 21 July 1900. 5.
  10. Web site: The Francis H. Leggett shipwreck . 30 December 2018 . Cannon Beach History Center and Museum . July 26, 2020.
  11. Marshall, Oregon Shipwrecks, at 97.
  12. News: Boat Goes on Rocks; Two Swim to Shore. Oregonian (Portland, Oregon). 28 May 1923. 1.
  13. News: Gasoline Schooner Hurled Onto Beach. Oregonian (Portland, Oregon). 5 November 1923. 1.
  14. News: 4 Men are Drowned in Schooner Wreck. Oregonian (Portland, Oregon). 6 Nov 1923. 1.
  15. Hedges. Absalom B. Correspondence. Oregon Superintendency. 17 December 1856. Microfilm. RG75 M2 R 6.
  16. Web site: The Struan: From Saint John to Sandlake. - Oregon Historical Quarterly . https://web.archive.org/web/20140611030922/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-84849711.html . dead . 2014-06-11 . HighBeam Research . 2014-02-04.
  17. Book: Crichton, Whitcomb . 1999. The Struan: From Saint John to Sandlake. Chelsea Green+ Publishing Co . 978-1551092874.
  18. News: The Wrecked Whaleback. 28 December 2012. Evening Capital Journal (Salem, Oregon). 22 September 1892. 2.
  19. Web site: Shipwreck emerges from sand near Coos Bay . KATU . April 10, 2010 . 2010-04-10 .
  20. News: The Telephone Sunk. Oregonian (Portland, Oregon). 6 January 1892. 1.
  21. News: Telephone is Raised. 28 December 2012. Evening Capital Journal (Salem, Oregon). 15 January 1892. 1.
  22. News: Regulator Wrecked. 28 December 2012. Daily Capital Journal (Salem, Oregon). 14 July 1898. 3.
  23. News: Regulator Raised. 28 December 2012. Daily Capital Journal (Salem, Oregon). 2 Sep 1898. 1.
  24. News: Gypsy Sunk. 28 December 2012. Daily Journal (Salem, Oregon). 12 June 1900. 1.

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