Maple Leaf (shipwreck)

The Maple Leaf is a historic shipwreck in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. The Maple Leaf was first launched as a freight and passenger vessel from the Marine Railway Yard in Kingston, Ontario in 1851. The 181-foot side wheel steamer measured 24.7 feet at the beam.

Sinking
It was a Union American Civil War transport struck by a Confederate torpedo - what we would now call a mine - as it was crossing the St. Johns River near Jacksonville on April 1, 1864. Four crew members lost their lives in the sinking. This was the first torpedo casualty of the War. The USS Norwich was dispatched to assess the condition of the wreck on April 2, and Captain Henry W. Dale concluded his ship and cargo as a total loss.

Shipwreck
It is located in the St. Johns River, to the west of Mandarin area. The wreck was a threat to river navigation so the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had all structural components above the ship's main deck removed to clear the channel. The shipwreck was rediscovered by the St. Johns Archaeological Expeditions, Inc. in 1984. Volunteers identified the wreck in 1992.

On October 12, 1994, it was designated a National Historic Landmark.