Wreck of the Peter Iredale

On the beach of Fort Stevens State Park lies the remains of an old grounded ship. The Peter Iredale was a steel sailing vessel originally built in England in 1890 and owned by British shipping firm Iredale & Porter. In September of 1906, it was en route from Mexico to Portland, Oregon when it encountered treacherous conditions and was forced onto the shore. All 27 crew members evacuated, and it was noted that upon leaving the ship, Captain Lawrence saluted it and said, "May God bless you and may your bones bleach in these sands," with whiskey in hand. The ship remained embedded in the sand and all plans to tow it were dropped as the wreckage became an instant tourist attraction.