SS Central America Bell

The SS Central America, known as the Ship of Gold, was a 280 foot sidewheel steamer that operated between Central America and the eastern coast of the United States during the 1850s. In 1857 its captain was Commander William Lewis Herndon, one of the United States Navy's bold explorers of the era. With 575 people on board and 30,000 pounds of gold, the ship foundered during a hurricane on September 12, 1857. After transferring as many women and children as possible to safety, Herndon stood his post in the wheel-house as the ship sank, refusing to leave while any souls remained on board. His actions saved 152 lives. Despite his efforts, the disaster was the largest loss of life in a commercial ship disaster in United States history, and the loss of gold had devastating effects on the US economy, contributing to the Panic of 1857. The Herndon Monument was presented by the class of 1860 in his honor for his heroic actions on board the SS Central America. The bell was found during recovery of the ship's wreckage in 1988 and was donated to the United States Naval Academy and dedicated on May 23, 2022.

Naval Academy, Maryland · United States