SS Central America

Sidewheel steamer ship

Disasters & Accidents
SS Central America
Image via Wikimedia Commons or Wikipedia.

Overview

What happened

On April 27, 1857, the SS Central America, a 278-foot steamship, sank in a hurricane off the coast of South Carolina, resulting in the loss of 425 lives...

Date

April 27, 1857

Key people

William Herndon

Why it matters

This article provides a detailed and nuanced account of the sinking of the SS Central America, including the events leading up to the disaster, the tragedy itself, and the aftermath.

What was SS Central America?

SS Central America, known as the Ship of Gold, was a 280-foot (85 m) sidewheel steamer that operated between Central America and the East Coast of the United States during the 1850s. She was originally named the SS George Law, after George Law of New York. The ship sank in a hurricane in September 1857, along with 425 of her 578 passengers and crew and 30,000 pounds (13,600 kg) of gold, contributing to the Panic of 1857. On September 3, 1857, 477 passengers and 101 crew left the City of Aspinwall, now the Panamanian port of Colón, sailing for New York City under the command of William Lewis Herndon. The ship was laden with 10 short tons (9.1 t) of gold prospected during the California Gold Rush.

A depiction of the sinking
A depiction of the sinking
Related books
Treasure from the SS Central America Sotheby & Co. (London, England) · 1999 Sinking of the SS Central America Charles River Charles River Editors · 2018 A California Gold Rush history Q. David Bowers · 2002 Lugares, monumentos, ancestros Luis Flores Blanco · 2018
Book covers from Open Library. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Background and consequences

The ship continued north after a stop in Havana. On September 9, 1857, the ship was caught up in a Category 2 hurricane while off the coast of the Carolinas. By September 11, the 105 mph (170 km/h) winds, and heavy seas had shredded her sails, she was taking on water, and her boiler was threatening to fail. A leak in a seal between a paddle wheel shaft and the ship's side sealed its fate. At noon that day, her boiler could no longer maintain fire.

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Related on thisDay

SS Central America Sinking — April 27, 1857

425 lives lost as the SS Central America sank in a 1857 hurricane off South Carolina's coast, a devastating disaster that occurred

Use the dated article for the day-specific account; use these references to check the event record and explore its wider historical context.

Date article: SS Central America Sinking — April 27, 1857Wikipedia source
Cite this page
MLA

“SS Central America.” thisDay, thisday.info/history/ss-central-america/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

APA

SS Central America. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://thisday.info/history/ss-central-america/

Chicago

“SS Central America.” thisDay. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://thisday.info/history/ss-central-america/.

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