Propeller <I>Indiana</I>’s Cargo of Iron Ore
date: label: date propeller Indiana sank
content: 1858-06-06
label: samples of the ore were collected
content: 1979
notes: label: Description
content: On 6 June 1858, the propeller <I>Indiana</I> sank in Lake Superior transporting its owner, three passengers and 280 tons of iron ore from Marquette, MI to Sault Ste. Marie, MI. The ship was insured for $9,000; the ore was insured separately for an undisclosed amount. One contemporary newspaper stated that it was the “first cargo of Lake Superior iron ore ever lost on the lakes.”
label: Description
content: The ship landed upright and slightly bow down on the lakebed in 120 feet of water; the bow split open and ore spilled out onto the sandy bottom. The deck of the shipwreck remains covered with iron ore today, and the cargo hold is filled about three feet deep with ore as well.
label: Description
content: Samples of the ore were recovered in 1979; upon analysis, they revealed that a high percentage of pure iron.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: Associated Place
content: Superior, Lake
label: left port
content: United States: Michigan, Marquette
label: ship en route to before it sank
content: United States: Michigan, Sault Sainte Marie
topic: label: related event
content: Expansion and Reform
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Maritime
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content: Cultures & Communities
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content: Work
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content: Energy & Power
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content: Industry & Manufacturing
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content: Transportation
label: See more items in
content: On the Water exhibit
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: National Museum of American History. On the Water exhibition website
label: Related Web Publication
content: http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthewater
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Michigan Department of State, Michigan History Division (through Bruce J. Andrews)
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1979.1030.12.01
label: catalog number
content: 1979.1030.12
label: accession number
content: 1979.1030
objectType: label: Object Name
content: iron ore samples
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: iron ore (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: container: 11 ft x 1 ft x 3 ft; 3.3528 m x .3048 m x .9144 m