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The ERIE BELLE's Boiler: Update 2001
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I visited the boiler site on the afternoon of 29 April, 2001. The very low water levels this year have exposed much of the sandy bottom around the ERIE BELLE's boiler. The water's edge is now many yards further away from shore than the boiler's current position. Also, it appears to me that the boiler is much deeper in the sand this year relative to last year. The photos on my pages from 1999 show shallow water and gravel around the boiler. At present, it is surrounded by sand.
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The present position of the boiler relative to shore, and to the enormous boulders that are now present offshore from the boiler site, reinforce my supposition that the ERIE BELLE did not explode where the boiler now rests. She must have been further off-shore at the time of the blast, as there's no way a ship that required at least 6 feet of water to remain afloat could have been that close to shore.
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Although this massive boiler has remained as a landmark and as a memorial to the sailors of the 19th century on the Great Lakes, it will not last forever. The constant action of winter ice and exposure to all of the elements will continue to take their toll. Some areas of the remaining boiler artifact are noticeably weak, and the open areas and sharp edges present a danger. Children should not be encouraged to play on or in the boiler.
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I am hoping to add more information on the career of the ERIE BELLE before she took on that name. She was initially built in Cleveland, Ohio in 1862 and named HECTOR. During the American Civil War, she worked out of Boston, MA. If anyone has information or photos of the HECTOR's career or construction I would love to add that sort of information to my pages.
Last update: 30 April, 2001 Author: D. Galbraith