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The Steamer Lady Elgin Lying At Her Wharf At Chicago

The Steamer Lady Elgin Lying At Her Wharf At Chicago

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By: Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper

Date: 1860

Dimensions: 9.5 x 14 inches (image size) 

This is an original, antique, hand-colored print from the September 22, 1860 publication of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper.  

The Lady Elgin was built in 1851, and was a popular choice for passengers who wanted to travel on the Great Lakes. She was named after the wife of Lord Elgin, who served as the Governor General of Canada. It operated in various parts of the Great Lakes, but Chicago was one of its primary ports. This picture shows it docked at the Chicago River Wharf.  

In one of the worst maritime disasters in the history of the Great Lakes, the steamship Lady Elgin sank off the coast of northern Illinois during the early hours of September 8, 1860. The ship left Milwaukee late on September 6 bound for a political rally in Chicago with approximately four hundred passengers on board, including members of Milwaukee’s “Union Guards” militia unit. Returning amid heavy rain and high winds, the Lady Elgin was struck by the lumber schooner Augusta shortly after two o’clock in the morning and sank within half an hour, leaving fewer than one hundred survivors. Of those that perished, the majority were Irish residents from Milwaukee’s Third Ward.

Condition: Very fine condition with some minor marginal tears, the longest of which has been reinforced on the verso. None of these tears enter the image.

Inventory #90260

1200 W. 35th Street #425 Chicago, IL 60609 | P: (312) 496 - 3622

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