Middle Village in Queens in Queens County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
General Slocum Disaster Memorial
Photographed By Christian Belena, May 8, 2007
1. General Slocum Disaster Memorial Marker
Burning of the Steamship Gen Slocum on the East River June 15 1904 in which 1020 lives were lost.
Erected 1905 by Survivors and relatives of the General Slocum disaster.
Topics. This historical marker and memorial is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Disasters • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is June 15, 1865.
Location. 40° 42.554′ N, 73° 52.872′ W. Marker is in Queens, New York, in Queens County. It is in Middle Village. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6729 Metropolitan Ave, Middle Village NY 11379, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Middle Village (approx. 0.4 miles away); Remsen Cemetery (approx. 1.2 miles away); Maspeth (approx. 1.4 miles away); Betty Smith (approx. 1.4 miles away); First House Number in Queens (approx. 1.4 miles away); Dexter Park (approx. 1.4 miles away); Woodhaven Library (approx. 1˝ miles away); Tree Dedication for Medal of Honor Recipients (approx. 1˝ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Queens.
More about this memorial. To the left and right sides of the Slocum Memorial are smaller monuments: an angel with trumpet, left, and an angel with small child, right.
this page online
Regarding General Slocum Disaster Memorial. On June 15, 1904, 1021 German immigrants (half of them children) died when their excursion steamship the General Slocum caught fire in the East River - destroying an entire neighborhood! More people died on this ship than on the Titanic and this was the single greatest loss in New York City up to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. 1021 people (1/3 of those who died in the Twin Towers) burned or drowned. Sixty-one of the unidentified are buried under the memorial.
St. Marks Lutheran Church in the East Greenwich Village neighborhood of Little Germany chartered the General Slocum for a pleasant voyage to Locust Point on the north shore of Long Island. 1,358 church and community members consisting primarily of women and children departed from an East Third Street pier at about nine o'clock on the morning June 15, 1904. The ship never arrived at its destination.
Also see . . .
1. Slocum Disaster, June 15, 1904. The National Archives entry:
"What started as a pleasant excursion on the East River ended in disaster." (Submitted on April 17, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)
2. Remembering a Tragedy: The Steamboat General Slocum (1904).
Photographed By Christian Belena, May 8, 2007
2. General Slocum Disaster Memorial Marker
3. Ship Ablaze : The Tragedy of the Steamboat General Slocum. Book by Edward T. O'Donnell on Amazon.com with a "look inside" before you buy feature. (Submitted on April 17, 2008, by Christian Belena of Brooklyn, New York.)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 18, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 17, 2008, by Christian Belena of Brooklyn, New York. This page has been viewed 3,319 times since then and 79 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 17, 2008, by Christian Belena of Brooklyn, New York. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.
