Sea Wing Disaster

Title: Map of the Wreck Site
Type: Map
Date: 1890
Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press

Description: This map shows the journey of the Sea Wing before its sinking and the location of the wreck.

Activities:

1. This map shows us the route of the Sea Wing and where it was destroyed. Why do you think that if it capsized at letter B, it was not grounded until letter D?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: The river current and the winds of the storm could easily have pushed the steamer downstream before it got stuck in water that was more shallow.
2. Since Lake City was closest to the barge when it finally was grounded, what do you think the survivors on the barge did when it landed?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: Survivors of the wreck who were on the barge ran to Lake City for help.
3. Why do you think that almost all of the passengers on the barge lived, while many on the steamer did not?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: The barge may have been more stable than the steamer and was probably less likely to capsize because of its shallow height and flat bottom.
4. Since the only living witnesses of the actual disaster seem to be the survivors on the steamer, how can we know if this map of the event is accurate?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: We are unable to tell for sure if the map is completely accurate, but since the groundings of the steamer and the barge are documented, we can guess that survivors were able to remember or guess the route of the Sea Wing after the storm hit.