SS Oregon

Briefly, on August 1, 1858, the SS Oregon (the same ship that brought the news of gold to the East Coast) struck the rocks at Point Reyes. Many of the passengers fell/jumped overboard. Most were picked up by local landowners and traveled by ground to Sauselito or Petaluma and then San Francisco. No formal verification of the passenger list occurred, and it was estimated that 3-6 people were “lost” on the rocks. My father recalled hearing that his great-grandfather Thomas was initially all right on the rocks, but then the boat shifted and he was crushed beneath the boat.

There are several newspaper articles about this incident:
Daily Alta California 8/2/1858
Daily Alta California 8/3/1858 (shorter article)
Daily Alta California 8/3/1858 (longer article, “from our evening edition of yesterday”)

Other information on the Oregon is listed in the SFNI include:
SF Chronicle – 9-3-1932 7;1 (History of the Oregon)
SF Call – 9/15/1906 p11;c6 SF Ex 9/16/1906 31;1 (Oregon runs aground)
SF Call – 3/1/1910 (1905?) 3;1 (Fire on the Oregon), 3/2 3;5, 3/3 3;7, 3/4 5;1, 3/8 11;6, 3/30/1905 24;5 (may not be page 24 – can barely read).
SF Call – 4/8/1905 13;2 (Oregon repaired)

Contents Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2015 Christine A. Doyle