Hidden Histories
Shipwrecks of the Elizabeth Islands
Hidden Histories examines a selection of shipwrecks from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s which occurred around the Elizabeth Islands. Objects from Cuttyhunk Historical Society’s collection, such as medicine bottles, deadeyes and pins, hand-written accounts, and photographs, help to tell the stories of these misfortunate maritime events. From minor wrecks to major disasters, the material displayed in this exhibition brings voice to the hundreds who lived and worked along the littoral and sailed through the waters surrounding the Elizabeth Islands.
Below you can read excerpts of the wrecks and look through a selection of objects currently on exhibit at the Museum of the Elizabeth Islands.
SHIPWRECKS
Follow the timeline of wrecks and discover their stories when you hover over each photograph. Then browse through salvaged objects and personal items from local families.
USS TRIANA
Friday, March 13, 1891
On its way to deliver supplies to the crews of the wrecked Galena and Nina, the USS Triana fell to the same fate. While coursing through Canapitsit Channel, the pilot confused a light on Cuttyhunk for the light at Tarpaulin Cove. Seeing the ship, members of the Life-Saving Station signaled a warning with their white lantern because they were without Coston flares, red lights that warned mariners of danger.
Near 3:00am, the ship struck Schooner Ledge, tearing holes in the iron hull of the vessel and abruptly filling with water. Within 30 minutes, the Triana sank until the water reached its upper deck, resting in a cradle of rocks on the ledge.
The Cuttyhunk Life-Saving crew immediately set out to the ship and picked up seven men. As they made for the shore, a mighty wave overturned the boat, throwing some onto the beach while others were entangled by equipment from the boat. After their return, the surfmen made another endeavor out to the vessel in the Massachusetts Human Society's lifeboat. But the Triana's captain would not risk his men on a second attempt and declined the rescuers their service. All the men were eventually rescued.
FAIRFAX
Saturday, November 26, 1898
Sailing for Boston with eight passengers and $300,000 in merchandise, the steamer Fairfax made its way steadily through dense snow flurries. As evening drew near, the blizzard intensified and blew the Fairfax off course. Having failed to log the amount of distance covered, the ship passed the lightship at Sow and Pigs Reef on its port side rather than its starboard.
Around 5:00pm, the Fairfax ran aground on Sow and Pigs Reef where it rested on an even keel. After assessing the damage and determining there was no immediate danger, Captain Johnson forewent aid from the Cuttyhunk Life-Saving Station until morning.
For the passengers and crew, the remainder of the night was spent listening to the rudder hit against the rocks as they waited for daybreak. Amidst the blinding snow and gusting winds, all eight passengers and 39 crew members were saved.
ARDANDHU
Tuesday, January 23, 1900
Setting out on its first trip from New London, CT to Halifax, and then on to Havana, the British steamer Ardandhu met its end in the foggy, early morning hours. Despite signaling their positions to one another, the Ardandhu crossed in front of the path of the steamer Herman Winter, resulting in the ship crashing amidship on Ardandhu's starboard side. Why the Ardandhu altered its course remains unknown.
The quick thinking of the Herman Winter's captain allowed for the Ardandhu's crew to escape drowning. They climbed aboard the Herman Winter and watched as the Ardandhu slowly began to drift toward the southwest end of Naushon where the ship foundered. Having sustained minimal injuries, the Herman Winter made for Vineyard Haven to report the news. Regrettably, the crew of the Ardandhu soon realized that two of their own were missing.
The steamer finally came to rest on a ledge off Naushon at a depth of nearly 75ft. Stuck fast by the rocky bed, the dangerous currents which flow through the sound pounded the Ardandhu, sending cargo and flotsam to the surface. For days, hundreds of bales of hay were seen floating around the busy waterway.
TROJAN
Sunday, January 20, 1906
Sailing from Philadelphia, the freighter Trojan was heading to Boston on a routine voyage when it was run amidship on its port side by the ocean liner Nacoochee. Neither vessel was aware of the others dangerous proximity due to the dense fog. Despite a blast of the Nacoochee's whistle, there was no time to avoid catastrophe.
The collision happened with such force that it created a large hole in the Trojan's hull, extending 10ft below the waterline. The Nacoochee's Captain Diehl made the quick decision to push the bow of his ship further into the hole in the Trojan's side to keep the sea from rushing into the hull. Still, the Trojan began to sink so rapidly, the crew only had enough time to scale the rigging before lines were sent from the deck of Nacoochee. Captain Thatcher and his crew were lucky to escape the ordeal, though only with the clothes on their backs.
The thickness of the fog that night hid the event from the lifesavers at Cuttyhunk and Gay Head. It was not until the morning that they noticed the wreckage in the sound but, due to its distance from the shore, they remained unaware of the wreck.
JOHN S. DWIGHT
Friday, April 6, 1923
Prior to its smuggling activities, the small wooden freighter John S. Dwight had been used for coal salvage. After leaving Newport, RI, the Dwight met with a "mother ship"--anchored just beyond the three miles used to prevent vessels with alcoholic beverages from landing--to pick up a contraband cargo of bootleg ale before setting out for New York. That evening, the Dwight's crew anchored in Vineyard Sound, dousing lights in order to avoid detection. The cover of night also brought a thick fog, blanketing the waterway.
The next morning, the coast guard stations at Cuttyhunk and Gay Head heard whistles and bells. Through a break in the fog, smoke was seen coming out of the ship's starboard side and by the time help arrived just south of Nashawena Island, all that was found were barrels floating in the sound.
Seven bodies were found 10 miles away from the wreck. In the following days, numerous theories for the sinking arose. Some believed it struck another ship while others claimed that rival rumrunners boarded, stole $100,000, got rid of the crew, and then scuttled the ship. Others were certain that it was a mutiny led by a member of the Dwight's crew. A few men, including the captain, were even reported to have been seen in Cuba.
WANDERER
Monday, August 25, 1924
During an overcast morning on New Bedford's Pier 3, a crowd of 300 people witnessed the Wanderer set out on what was to be a year-long expedition for sperm whales in the South Atlantic. Having departed without enough men, Captain Antone Edwards left the Wanderer anchored off Mishaum Point while he returned to New Bedford to recruit additional crew from his younger brother, Captain Joseph Edwards.
Within hours, the Wanderer encountered a shrieking gale that caused the vessel to drift and drag her anchor, tearing off the rudder gear. Without a means to steer, the crew was forced to abandon the vessel. The Wanderer hit the shoals off the west end of Cuttyhunk head-on, becoming wedged between two large rock forms which punctured the bottom of the ship.
The Wanderer's crew struggled through the rough waters after deploying their two whaleboats. The first whaleboat made it to the Cuttyhunk shore within 90 minutes, but the second, carrying eight of their companions, was pushed out towards sea. The men were eventually able to grab a line from the Vineyard Sound Lightship crew on Sow and Pigs Reef, nearly five miles southwest of Cuttyhunk. After a night of much needed rest, they were retrieved by the Coast Guard and taken to Cuttyhunk the following morning.
CITY OF COLUMBUS
Friday, January 18, 1884
Sailing out of Boston Harbor on a routine voyage, the steamer City of Columbus was headed to Savannah, GA, where its travelers were hoping to escape the cold New England winter. Sadly, most would never reach their final destination.
At approximately 3:45am in the midst of a gale, the steamer struck the rocks on Devil's Bridge off Martha's Vineyard, tearing a hole through the bottom of the starboard side. The City of Columbus instantly filled with water, listing to port as it gradually sank lower under the freezing water.
Multiple failed attempts at launching the lifeboats left most passengers and crew members trapped on the vessel where many drowned in the lower decks and others were swept overboard. About 30 fortunate men were able to climb into the rigging and wait for help to arrive. Of the approximately 135 people who set sail on the City of Columbus, only 30 men were saved. The remaining 105 souls, 76 passengers and 29 crew, were lost to the frigid temperatures of that January morning.
AQUATIC
Friday, February 24, 1893
The British brig Aquatic was sailing from Cuba to Boston with a cargo of sugar. Unknown to the captain, the light at Vineyard Sound had been changed from white to red, so he mistakenly led the ship between the lightship and the reef. Realizing his error too late, the ship struck the rocks and became stranded.
News of the wreck spread and Captain Timothy Akin, Jr. gathered a group of six volunteer surfmen from the Massachusetts Humane Society. The men set out for the Aquatic just after 9:00pm. However, only one of them would return.
From the east end of the island came the Cuttyhunk Life-Saving crew. Struggling through the rough waters, they determined that attempts at rescue would be perilous. Unknown to them, they had already lost five surfmen to the treacherous waters.
The following afternoon, with the assistance of two vessels from the Boston Towboat Company, the Cuttyhunk Life-Saving crew were able to successfully retrieve the men stranded on the Aquatic using a breeches buoy.
LUNET
Saturday, November 26, 1898
The three-masted schooner Lunet was heading to Bangor, ME from Perth Amboy, NJ. Sailed by a crew of seven men, the vessel was leaden with a load of coal for the Boston & Bangor Steamship Company.
This was a familiar route for the crew, so Captain Simpson knew the best place to wait out the storm. As the weather turned, they sheltered in Tarpaulin Cove, anchoring near the southwestern shore. A few of the men went ashore on Naushon, stopping by the post office for a brief conversation while picking up mail.
During the night, the gale intensified, swirling snow and gusts churned the water in the harbor and pulled ships to-and-fro. When they had entered the cove, the Lunet was strategically anchored away from the northeast-blowing gale. However, the winds eventually shifted and began whipping northwards, pushing the Lunet toward the rocks near the shore. The ship dragged anchors and, after striking a ledge, was engulfed by water rushing into its hold. The Lunet sank, leaving no survivors.
GEORGE P. DAVENPORT
Saturday, January 19, 1901
On its journey from Norfolk to Boston, the George P. Davenport encountered a northwest gale that swept through Vineyard Sound. The thick snow and mist left little visibility for ships traveling the waterway. Dragged by the strong currents, the Davenport drove through the breakers and wrecked on the rocks near Nashawena Island and quickly filled with 10ft of water.
On Sunday, the Cuttyhunk Life-Savers reached the ship and picked up all but one of the crew. Mate E. C. Willis elected to remain as Ships Keeper. Not long after their departure, the winds shifted to the southwest and Willis was left to shutter himself below decks. His night was spent listening to the groaning and crunching of the vessel as the fury of the sea tore at its walls. Finally, taking refuge in the forecastle, Willis watched as the decks of the Davenport slowly washed away.
In the early hours, the surfmen set out again for the ship but were unable to bring the surfboat close. They employed the lifesaving apparatus, shooting a line across the ship and sending a breeches buoy to rescue the mate. The barrage of waves across the vessel splintered its timbers, breaking the Davenport to pieces, which drifted along the sound.
SILVIA
Saturday, March 14, 1908
Looking out across the blanket of foggy water, Captain Farrell of the British steamer Silvia took note of the signal from the upcoming lightship. But to his dismay, the signal that was to lead them safely through the water instead directed them toward Sow and Pigs Reef.
Though its movement was slow, the ship's bottom scrapped along the ledge of the reef. Despite the heavy impact, the crew and passengers were not in any immediate danger.
From the shore, Surfman Walter H. Allen was the first to learn of the wreck after hearing cannon fire, a form of distress call. By 7:00am, both the Life-Saving Service and the Massachusetts Human Society launched their surfboats from Cuttyhunk into the foggy sea.
Silvia was transporting 39 passengers: 25 crew members from the previously wrecked British vessels Beta and Marjorie J. Sumner, and 14 men, women, and children made up the rest of the cabin passengers. They were all taken to New Bedford on the revenue cutter Mohawk. As the water eventually reached the crews quarters, they left the ship and spent the night at the Cuttyhunk Life-Saving Station.
SEACONNET
Sunday, April 29, 1923
As the ship began its second day at sea, the Seaconnet was battling against a 70-mph gale when it suddenly began to take on water and listed starboard. Though the crew remained steadfast at the pumps, water continued to rise within the hull.
Realizing the danger, the ship sent out a wireless S.O.S. By the time the second lifeboat was ready to deploy, the Seaconnet was listed so far that the boats lines had to be cut to drop it into the water; unfortunately, it turned bottom up. The remaining crew were washed overboard and desperately attempted to grab hold of wreckage. As the ship sank, the lifeboat righted itself and the men were able to haul themselves aboard. They drifted over rough waters toward the Vineyard Sound Lightship, a mile away, where they were looked after until another vessel could take them ashore.
The cause of the leak remains unknown. One theory is that the $50,000 cargo of coal shifted and caused the seams of the ship to open, allowing water to quickly pour into the hold. Of the 29 aboard the ship, 21 men and one woman survived. Seven crewmen lost their lives in this mysterious turn of events.
VINEYARD SOUND LIGHTSHIP
September 10-15, 1944
Known as the Great Atlantic Hurricane, the Category 5 storm covered nearly a 500-mile radius as it crept up the Atlantic coastline.
As it reached New England, the storm diminished to a Category 3 but continued to wreak havoc along the seashore. Claiming nearly 400 lives, the greatest losses happened at sea where the number was heavily comprised of service members on five separate US vessels, including the Vineyard Sound Lightship.
Lightships were floating lighthouses and sound signal stations. Their purpose was to alert mariners of nearby dangers in the water. Vineyard Sound Lightship #73 marked the entrance of Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound. There were 17 men assigned to the vessel, 12 always on the ship and five on leave, with rotating schedules of four weeks on, two weeks off.
During the hurricane, the lightship withstood howling 100-mph winds, pounding rain, and crashing waves. It was dragged away from its anchorage, three miles west of Cuttyhunk Island, where it sank 11 fathoms. All 12 lives were lost.
