Phoenix (1815 steamer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Phoenix (Shipwreck)
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Colchester Shoal, Cochester Reef, Colchester, Vermont |
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| Area | 2.9 acres (1.2 ha) |
| Built | 1815 |
| Built by | Sherman, Jahaziel |
| Architectural style | Sidewheel steamboat |
| NRHP reference No. | 98001268 |
| Added to NRHP | November 5, 1998 |
The Phoenix was an early steamboat that sailed on Lake Champlain. It traveled between New York and Vermont in the United States, and Quebec in Canada. Built in 1815, the Phoenix had a sad end. It caught fire and sank in 1819 near Colchester, Vermont.
Today, its wreckage is the oldest known example of a sidewheel steamboat anywhere in the world! It's a Vermont State Historic Site. Special divers can visit the wreck. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.
Meet the Steamboat Phoenix
The Phoenix was a wooden steamship. It was about 146 feet (45 m) long and 27 feet (8.2 m) wide. Its hull was about 9.25 feet (2.82 m) deep. The ship had a strong frame, with many wooden supports.
It was powered by a special steam engine called a steeple engine. The ship also had a single mast with sails. These sails helped the ship move when the wind was good. People said the Phoenix had a graceful shape, like a whaleboat.
Building and Journeys
The Phoenix was built in 1815. It was made by the Lake Champlain Steam-boat Company. The shipyard was in Vergennes, Vermont. Jahaziel Sherman was in charge of building it.
The Phoenix was the second steamboat to sail on Lake Champlain. The first was the Vermont, launched in 1808. The Vermont was actually the first regularly working steamship ever! The Phoenix used a steam engine that had been on another ship before.
For four years, the Phoenix sailed a regular route. It went between Whitehall, New York and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu in Canada. In 1817, it carried President James Monroe from Burlington, Vermont to Plattsburgh, New York. In 1818, it carried the remains of General Richard Montgomery. He was an American Revolutionary War hero. He died in the 1775 Battle of Quebec. His remains were taken to New York City.
The Phoenix's Last Voyage
On September 4, 1819, the Phoenix caught fire. This happened after it left Burlington. Most of the people on board were able to escape safely. But six people died from the fire or by drowning.
The burning ship ran aground on Colchester Reef. It burned down to the water line. After the fire, the company saved some parts from the wreck. They even got the steam engine out. The rest of the ship was pulled off the reef the next spring. Then it was allowed to sink. Some people at the time thought the fire was set on purpose. They believed someone might have been unhappy about steamships becoming popular.
The shipwreck was found on September 4, 1978. This was exactly 159 years after it sank! The wreck lies on the lake bottom, between 60 and 110 feet deep. About 40% of the ship remains. Some parts were saved after the fire, and time has also worn it down. In 2020, two burned paddlewheel parts were found. They were discovered north of the main hull, in deeper water.
