I was thinking about…the real-life shipwreck treasure drama forgotten for over a century.
By Andy Lee
In 1857, the SS Central America steamship was bursting with precious cargo – not just her hundreds of passengers seeking their fortunes out west, but also over one ton of gold. This glittering bounty had been destined for New York banks but would ultimately be claimed by the sea.
The SS Central America had embarked on her fateful final voyage from Colón, Panama carrying well over 500 eager prospectors who had struck it rich in the California Gold Rush. Also in her hold were thousands of pounds of gold bars, coins, and freshly minted ingots – a shimmering monument to the prosperity and potential of a growing America.
Captained by William Lewis Herndon, a distinguished officer known for his heroic command style, the state-of-the-art steamship represented the pinnacle of luxury and safety at the time. As she set sail heading north to New York City, she was filled to capacity with hopeful travelers and precious cargo likely worth over $700 million today.
But over a week into her routine passage, the ship’s sunny prospects darkened along with the skies. After a sunny, tranquil start to their voyage, the winds began to intensify and black clouds gathered. By the morning of September 12th, Herndon grimly realized they were headed directly towards a severe hurricane.
As the storm’s power rapidly grew, waves smashed over the straining steamship, flooding her decks. Chaos reigned on board while Herndon desperately tried to steer them out of harm’s way, but the elements proved too strong. After hours battling the merciless gale, the boiler rooms flooded entirely. With no power, their fate was sealed.
At 8:50 pm on September 12th, 1857, the SS Central America sank beneath the raging swells, taking 425 souls and over 21 tons of California gold down with her. Only a fraction of her massive treasury ever reached the Atlantic coast. Most vanished into the lightless depths, not to be seen again for over 130 years.
The tragic loss delivered a devastating blow not just to families of the drowned, but to the entire nation. With banks anticipating the huge gold shipment to bolster their reserves, its failure to arrive worsened the Panic of 1857 in which markets crashed and banks closed. The sinking of the SS Central America played a direct role in plunging America into financial freefall.
In the years following the tragedy, numerous attempts were made to locate and salvage the wreck, but the technology of the era proved fruitless. The SS Central America settled deep into the seabed, lost to time. Her tale became maritime legend, a caution against tempting fate with unfathomable wealth.
That changed in the 1980s when a driven engineer and sailor named Tommy Thompson became enthralled by what he called the “Ship of Gold.” After claiming to have found a gold ingot from the wreck in an old shipwreck collection, he dedicated his life to finding her remains.
With a crew and advanced remote-operated vehicles, Thompson systematically combed a massive search area 150 miles offshore, braving dangerous conditions in his growing obsession. After 6 years of failed attempts, miraculously in 1988, the SS Central America was discovered nearly a mile and a half down.
It was one of the deepest shipwrecks ever located, a testament to the technological skill needed to recover the precious artifacts inside. When items first emerged from the inky depths, it was clear an immense lost treasure had been found. Gold coins, ingots, dust, and bars were hauled up, valued at over $100 million. King Tut’s tomb paled by comparison.
Along with the vast riches, glimpses into passengers’ lives also surfaced. Notes, watches, wallets, clothing – tragic mementos of those hopeful prospectors and migrants who left San Francisco at the peak of their journeys, only to drown days from New York.
The magnitude of the discovery ignited a legal war over who had rights to the mind-boggling wealth. As investors and insurance companies fought entitlement to the treasure in ongoing court battles, Thompson went into hiding. Wild theories emerged about his motives and secrets he still kept.
Thompson died just a few years ago, taking the location of the remainder of the gold allegedly still onboard to his grave. Some speculated he wanted to one day resurrect the SS Central America and claim exclusive salvage rights. Others painted him as a fugitive who stole part of the treasure.
The truth may never be known about Thompson’s dealings after finding the “Ship of Gold.” But the SS Central America will be forever linked to fortunes won and lost. The lure of recovering her riches spurred innovations in deep sea exploration while claiming some who dared too recklessly.
And still, perhaps some golden riches remain locked in her corroded hull, waiting for the day when technology can safely resurrect all her mysteries. For now, she is a cautionary relic of our ambition and greed, resting silently in her Atlantic grave while her legend endures. She represents the enduring allure of discovering sunken history – no matter the dangers to ourselves.
If these stories sparked your interest, check out my book ‘I Was Thinking About…’ to satisfy your craving for lesser-known historical tales.
I Was Thinking About… https://a.co/d/f3h3ro1
I was thinking about... 