Dyea in Skagway, Alaska — Northwest (North America)
SS Princess Sophia Memorial
| | 1912-1918 | |
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 24, 2024
1. SS Princess Sophia Memorial
In memory of the more than 350 people lost on the SS Princess Sophia, on October 25, 1918.
On October 23, 1918, the Princess Sophia left Skagway, bound for Juneau. One of the final outbound ships of the year, the October sailing marked one of the last chances for residents of the interior to leave before the Yukon River froze, closing riverboat travel for the season.
Most passengers on board hailed from the Yukon Territory and Interior Alaska, at least 80 worked for the White Pass & Yukon Route Riverboat Division. The mood was celebratory as the Princess Sophia left Skagway, but a storm quickly blew the ship off course. In the early hours of October 24th, the Princess Sophia struck Vanderbilt Reef in the Lynn Canal. After over 40 hours on the reef, surrounded by the storm, the ship sank leaving no survivors, save a dog who swam to shore.
A tragic loss to the Northland, the sinking of the Princess Sophia went underreported as news of the end of World War I overwhelmed headlines. The story of the most fatal shipwreck on the West Coast has been largely untold.
Dedicated October 2018.
Erected 2018
this page online
Topics and series. This historical marker and memorial is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lost at Sea series list. A significant historical date for this entry is October 25, 1918.
Location. 59° 27.19′ N, 135° 19.152′ W. Marker is in Skagway, Alaska. It is in Dyea. It is at the intersection of Broadway and 1st Avenue, on the right when traveling north on Broadway. Marker stands in Centennial Park, near the train depot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 314 Broadway, Skagway AK 99840, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker and memorial is in Southeast Alaska, in Tlingit and Haida & Tsimshian Region. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, the Inside Passage, the Pacific Rim, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Russian Empire.
Other nearby markers. At least 8
Photographed by Sandra Hughes Tidwell, June 5, 2024
2. SS Princess Sophia Memorial Marker
More about this marker. Marker has been moved. It originally stood at 59.45245047N 135.32043799W
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.
Also see . . . The Princess Sophia (National Park Service). (Submitted on September 20, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 24, 2024
3. SS Princess Sophia Memorial
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 24, 2024
4. SS Princess Sophia Memorial
Credits. This page was last revised on September 30, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 16, 2024, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 1,086 times since then and 126 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 29, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. 2. submitted on June 16, 2024, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. 3, 4. submitted on September 29, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
