What the Plaque/Guide Says:
This memorial is dedicated to those who lost their lives in the wreck of the Pacific Mail steamer Brother Jonathan at point St. George’s Reef, July 30, 1865.
More about California Historical Landmark #541:
“Brother Jonathan” was a popular personification of New England during the American Revolution and a precursor to Uncle Sam! The ship named after him was built in 1850 under the patronage of New Yorker, Edward Mills, to cash in on Gold Rushers bound for California!
Originally, she ran between New York and Chagres (Colón), Panamá, where passengers would disembark and cross by river boat and mule train to the Pacific side. Then, in 1852, rival Cornelius Vanderbilt bought and refitted the Brother Jonathan before bringing her to the Pacific. She changed hands and names multiple times over the next nine years, getting her final makeover and name change in 1861. Until 1865, she was one of the West Coast’s finest steamers!
The fate of the Brother Jonathan was sealed after she collided with the Jane Falkenberg. Captain DeWolf only had time to patch the damage before the company agent demanded that he take on excessive cargo—including a multi-ton ore crusher right over the hull patch—on a trip up to Washington. It was so much that the ship had to literally be dragged out of San Francisco Bay!
A storm hit her near Crescent City, pushing her into a submerged rock that broke through the hull and sent the ore crusher crashing down through the patch. The ship had four lifeboats for its 244 passengers; all but one was smashed against the rocks or sunk in its way to shore! Of the 244, only 19 survived!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Become a member of the Del Norte County Historical Society!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
519 W 9th St
Crescent City, CA 95531
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
Whenever the mood strikes you!