Sinking of the Lady Elgin

Date: September 8, 1860 • Location: Winnetka, United States

The paddle steamer Lady Elgin (pictured) was rammed by a schooner on Lake Michigan and sank, resulting in the loss of about 300 lives.

A paddle steamer is a steamship or steamboat powered by a steam engine driving paddle wheels to propel the craft through the water. Earlier ships that are driven by a paddle wheel under manual power are known as paddle wheelers.