Among other interesting places in Oregon, you’ll find the wreck of the Peter Iredale; a ship that crashed nearly 115 years ago. This amazing spot provides incredible views, aside from the parents letting their children play on and climb all over the dangerously rusty remains. Depending on the tide charts, you’ll see varying portions of the shipwreck, so make sure to plan accordingly if you’re planning a visit!

The Peter Iredale ran ashore October 25, 1906. While headed towards the Columbia River, the ship hit land on the Oregon coast. The ship remains buried partially in the sand on Clatsop Spit near Fort Stevens in Warrenton, and is a publicly visit-able shipwreck. It’s one of the most accessible shipwrecks of the pacific for public viewing, and has become a popular tourist attraction over the years.

The ship was named after Peter Iredale (bet you would have never guessed that one.) Iredale was a well-known figure in Liverpool, England, where his business as headquartered. The ship was built in Maryport in June of 1890 by R. Ritson & Co Ltd. The ship measured 285 feet in length, fashioned from steel plates on an iron frame.

Sometime around September 26, 1906 the Peter Iredale set out from Salina Cruz, Mexico, bound for Portland, Oregon. Up until October 25th, the ship had sailed a fairly standard voyage. It was on this night that Captain H. Lawrence sighted the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse at 3:20 a.m. local time. After sighting the lighthouse, the crew then altered course first east-northeast and then northeast to enter the mouth of the Columbia River. The dark of night was filled by a thick mist during a rising tide. Strong winds pushed in from from the West, and an attempt was made to go against it, pulling the ship away from shore. Unfortunately, a heavy northwest squall grounded the Peter Iredale on Clatsop Sands (now known as Clatsop Spit)

When the ship crashed, it had been carrying a crew of 27, plus 2 stowaways. A lifeboat had been dispatched from Hammond, Oregon and assisted in rescuing the sailors. No casualties occurred in the wreck.

Thanks for checking out Architectural Afterlife! If you enjoyed this, you might also like these other abandoned ship wrecks