SS Portland

The paddle steamer Portland was built in 1889 for passenger service between Boston, Massachusetts, and Portland, Maine. Her hull was constructed by the Bath Iron works in Bath, Maine. She was 291 ft. long, and 42 ft. wide. She had three decks with 156 staterooms that could accommodate 700 passengers and 400 tons of freight. The Portland was propelled by two 35 ft-diameter paddle wheels that gave her a top speed of 12 knots.

On November 27, 1898, the Portland departed Boston's Indian Warf with some 200 passengers bound for Portland, Maine. The previous day the weather forecast was telegraphed to Boston from Washington, D.C. A low pressure center system from the Great Lakes beckoned to another near Georgia and later joined forces. The Portland's captain, Hollis Blanchard, received the warning, but cast off nonetheless. 

At midnight winds gust up to 80 mph. The gale had damaged and destroyed many buildings and roads on the New England Coast. Over 200 ships were reported lost or ran ashore. This devastating storm became known as the Portland Gale. 

Wreckage from the Portland had washed ashore the following day. Stateroom doors, metal containers, even bodies had been found drifting near Gloucester, Massachusetts.

The wreck was finally discovered in 1989 nearly a century after the gale had sunk her. The Portland lies in 460 ft. of water near Gloucester. 

To protect the wreck, NOAA has kept the location of the Portland's resting place a secret. 

To this day the cause of the ships demise remains a mystery.