Josephine (shipwreck)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| History | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Charles Morgan[1] |
| Operator | Louisiana and Texas Railroad and Steamship Company[1] |
| Builder | Harlan and Hollingsworth[1] |
| Launched | 1868[1] |
| In service | 1868 |
| Out of service | 1881 |
| Fate | Foundered in storm, February 8–9, 1881[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | sidewheel steamer |
| Tonnage | 1,283 tons |
| Length | 235 ft (72 m) |
| Beam | 34 ft (10 m) |
| Depth of hold | 18.5 ft (5.6 m) |
| Propulsion | Walking beam steam engine[1] |
| Capacity | 250 passengers[1] |
Josephine (shipwreck) | |
| Location | Restricted location between Horn Island and Ship Island, Harrison County, Mississippi |
| Built | 1867 |
| NRHP reference No. | 00001402 |
| Added to NRHP | November 22, 2000[2] |
Josephine was an American iron-hull, sidewheel steamer that transported mail, freight, and passengers, in the Gulf of Mexico, mainly between New Orleans, Louisiana and Galveston, Texas, beginning in 1868.[2] In 1881, the Josephine was transferred to the New Orleans – Havana route.[1] Returning from Havana in February 1881, the Josephine encountered a winter storm in the Gulf of Mexico, south of Biloxi, Mississippi, took on water and sank, but all passengers and crew survived.[1] In 2000, the Josephine shipwreck was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[2]
Early in the 19th century, New York businessman Charles Morgan became a successful entrepreneur by investing in railroad and steamship commerce in the southern United States. In 1867, Morgan contracted with shipbuilder, Harlan and Hollingsworth of Wilmington, Delaware, to construct the iron-hull steamer Josephine for Morgan's Louisiana and Texas Railroad and Steamship Company.[1]
In February 1868, the Josephine made its maiden voyage from Wilmington to New Orleans. At that time, the Josephine was assigned its main transportation route between Beshear, Louisiana and Galveston, Texas. Over the next decade, the Josephine transported mail, freight, and passengers, twice weekly, between Louisiana and Texas.[1]
