Erie (steamship, sank 1841)

Erie

Likely painted in 1838, artist unknown, gifted to the National Gallery of Art by Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch
History
United States
Name	Erie
Owner	Charles Manning Reed
Port of registry	Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Builder	Erie Steamboat Company, Erie, Penn.
Completed	1837
Maiden voyage	May 28, 1838
Fate	Sank off the coast of Silver Creek, New York, after burning, on August 9, 1841
General characteristics
Type	Wooden steamship
Tonnage	497 GRT
Length	176 ft 8 in (53.85 m)
Beam	27 ft 4 in (8.33 m)
Depth	10 ft 8 in (3.25 m)
Propulsion	Side-wheel paddle
Speed	16 mph (26 km/h)
Capacity	350
Crew	35–40

Erie was a steamship that operated as a passenger freighter on the Great Lakes. It caught fire and sank on August 9, 1841, resulting in the loss of an estimated 254 lives, making it one of the deadliest disasters in the history of the Great Lakes.

The Erie had a wooden hull and used a side-wheel paddle for propulsion. It was built by the Erie Steamboat Company, of Erie, Pennsylvania, under the supervision of Thomas G. Colt and Smith I. Jackson. Shortly after its completion, in 1837, it was purchased by Charles Manning Reed, who was the exclusive owner of the boat until its destruction.