City of Hawkinsville (shipwreck)

City of Hawkinsville (shipwreck)
City of Hawkinsville (shipwreck)
Suwannee River, looking in the direction of the City of Hawkinsville
City of Hawkinsville (shipwreck) is located in Florida
Location: Dixie County, Florida, USA
Nearest city: Old Town, Florida
Coordinates: 29°36′26″N 82°58′15″W / 29.60722°N 82.97083°W / 29.60722; -82.97083Coordinates: 29°36′26″N 82°58′15″W / 29.60722°N 82.97083°W / 29.60722; -82.97083
Governing body: Florida Department of Environmental Protection
NRHP Reference#: 01000533
FUAP #: 3
Significant dates
Added to NRHP: May 31, 2001
Designated FUAP: 1992

The City of Hawkinsville was a paddle steamer constructed in Georgia in 1886. Sold in 1900 to a Tampa, Florida company, it delivered cargo and lumber along the Suwannee River. Eventually rendered obsolete by the advent of railroads in the region, it was abandoned in the middle of the Suwannee in 1922.

It became the third Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve when it opened to the public in 1992. This was followed on May 31, 2001 by its addition to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places as CITY OF HAWKINSVILLE (shipwreck).[1] It is located in Dixie County, 100 yards south of the Old Town railroad trestle (which is part of the Nature Coast Trail State Park).

Contents

History

Georgia

In 1886, the Hawkinsville (Georgia) Deepwater Boat Lines had the wooden-hulled City of Hawkinsville built for them in Abbeville, Georgia.

After 14 years of service, they sold it to the Gulf Transportation Company of Tampa.

Florida

The largest (141 feet long by 30 feet wide) steamboat stationed on the Suwannee, The City of Hawkinsville transported lumber and supplies from Branford to Cedar Key for the next two decades. Some of the supplies would include construction materials for the railroads that would end the need for the steamboat itself.

By 1922, only able to be run at a loss, the ship's captain sank the City of Hawkinsville in the Suwannee, on May 19. It was the last steamboat to ply the river.

Today

The wreck of the steamboat has become part of the river's ecosystem, and was added to the Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve system in 1992. Most of it is remarkably intact, and rests on a ledge in the middle of the Suwannee, able to be seen from the river's surface. However, diving is only allowed for those with advanced open water certification, and venturing within the wreck itself is not permitted.

Admission and hours

There is no entrance fee to view the City Of Hawkinsville above or below the water, and it is open year-round.

References

External links



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  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Dixie County, Florida — Location of Dixie County in Florida This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Dixie County, Florida. This is intended to be a complete list of the properties on the National Register of Historic Places in Dixie County …   Wikipedia

  • Maritime history of Florida — Map of Florida, 1835 The maritime history of Florida describes significant past events relating to the U.S. state of Florida in areas concerning shipping, shipwrecks, and military installations and lighthouses constructed to protect or aid… …   Wikipedia

  • Old Town, Florida — Old Town is an unincorporated community in Dixie County, Florida, United States. It is located at the intersection of US 19/US 98 and State Road 349. Contents 1 Geography 2 Historic places 3 Medical care …   Wikipedia

  • Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserves — The Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserves are a system of underwater parks in the state of Florida. They consist of shipwrecks of historic interest, both off the coast and inland, and are open year round, free of charge. Similar programs… …   Wikipedia

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