page_title: SS Winfield Scott
section_title: Wreckage and salvage
hierarchical_section_title: SS Winfield Scott / Wreckage and salvage
caption_attribution_description: English: Scatter map of the wreckage of the steamship Winfield Scott. Image obtained from http://www.cawreckdivers.org/Wrecks/Winnfiel.htm. But as it was originally created by the US National Park Service, it is in the public domain. This is an image of a place or building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States of America. Its reference number is 87002111
context_page_description: SS Winfield Scott was a sidewheel steamer that transported passengers and cargo between San Francisco, California and Panama in the early 1850s, during the California Gold Rush. After entering a heavy fog off the coast of Southern California on the evening of December 1, 1853, the ship crashed into Middle Anacapa Island. All 450 passengers and crew survived, but the ship was lost.
  Winfield Scott has been the object of numerous salvage operations since the crash, and currently rests underwater as part of the Channel Islands National Park and Marine Sanctuary. The Winfield Scott wreck site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
context_section_description: The remains of Winfield Scott are located under 25–30 feet (7.6–9.1 m) of water in the Channel Islands National Park and Marine Sanctuary.  The wreckage site was verified in 1981 and was registered with the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.  The site is protected by California and United States law, which prohibits divers from removing any part of the wreckage.
  A salvage operation was undertaken in 1894, utilizing San Pedro.  Much of the iron machinery, as well as hundreds of copper bolts, were recovered.  An additional salvage operation during World War II recovered additional iron and brass for the war effort.
  The remaining wreckage is considered important from an historical perspective, as it represents a tangible example of mid-19th century shipbuilding.  Although much of the wooden hull has long since disintegrated, some of the machinery is still relatively intact.
  Between 1853 and 1980, more than 140 shipwrecks were documented in the Channel Islands National Park Marine Sanctuary.  As of December 2000, twenty sites had been located.  The prevailing currents and weather conditions of the area make it a dangerous place for navigation.
caption: Scatter map of the wreckage site
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