BROTHER JONATHAN (Shipwreck Site)
National Register of Historic Places

BROTHER JONATHAN (Shipwreck Site)

Crescent City, Del Norte County, California
Listed
May 20, 2002
Type
Site
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
02000535

About this property

Brother Jonathan was a paddle steamer that struck an uncharted rock near Point St. George, off the coast of Crescent City, California, on July 30, 1865. The ship was carrying 244 passengers and crew, with a large shipment of gold. Only 19 people survived, making it the deadliest shipwreck up to that time on the Pacific Coast of the United States. Based on the passenger and crew list, 225 people are believed to have died. Its location was not discovered until 1993 and a portion of the gold was recovered in 1996. The ship was also instrumental in setting off the 1862 smallpox epidemic in the Pacific Northwest, which killed thousands of Indigenous people in the region.

Location

Crescent City, Del Norte County, California
41.75025, -124.21205

Categories

HISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINALARCHITECTURECOMMERCEENGINEERINGEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTTRANSPORTATION
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Notable People
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Spotlight
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Nearby Historic Sites

Cresent City Lighthouse
Industrial
0.6 mi
Redwood Highway
Industrial
9.9 mi
St. George Reef Light Station
Industrial
10.4 mi
Gasquet Ranger Station Historic District
Civil War
14.3 mi
Radar Station B-71
Industrial
17.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was BROTHER JONATHAN (Shipwreck Site) listed on the National Register?

BROTHER JONATHAN (Shipwreck Site) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 20, 2002.

What type of historic resource is BROTHER JONATHAN (Shipwreck Site)?

BROTHER JONATHAN (Shipwreck Site) is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for BROTHER JONATHAN (Shipwreck Site)?

The period of significance for BROTHER JONATHAN (Shipwreck Site) is recorded as the civil_war era, specifically around 1865.

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