Georges Valentine (shipwreck)
Encyclopedia
The Georges Valentine Shipwreck Site is an historic U.S.
Italian
barkentine
shipwreck
located off the coast of Hutchinson Island in Martin County
, Florida
, with the nearest landmark being the House of Refuge
. The iron-hulled barque
was built in Liverpool
, England
in 1869 by Bowdler Chaffer & Company for S. Meyers & Company. Originally christened Cape Clear with Lloyd's of London in 1870, the vessel started its career as a screw steamboat
with auxiliary sail. She carried passengers on the Australia - Liverpool run. She was purchased by a French firm in 1889, re-christened Georges Valentine and turned into a sailing bark
in 1889 by being stripped of all steam machinery except the boiler. She was rigged as a three-masted barkentine. It was then sold to Dunkirk, also based in France. In 1895, the vessel was sold to Mortolo & Simonetti, based in Genoa
, Italy
. The ship was based in Camagoli, Italy and it transported lumber regularly from Pensacola
, Florida
to South America.
In October of 1904, the ship had been sailing with a crew of twelve men and was commanded by Captain Prospero Mortolo. It was carrying a load of milled mahogany from Pensacola to Buenos Aires
. On October 13, 1904 the ship sighted Havana
, Cuba
. They later hit a storm in the Florida Straits and were shipwrecked after the ship grounded in shallow water despite the crews attempts to keep it in deeper water. Captain William E. Rea, Keeper of the House of Refuge, rendered aid to the seven surviving crew members. Five of the crew perished. Georges Valentine sank in a storm on October 16, 1904. The survivors found shelter at House of Refuge at Gilbert's Bar
just 100 yards from the wreck site.
On July 19, 2006, it was added to the U.S.
National Register of Historic Places
. On October 16, 2006, it became the eleventh Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
barkentine
Barquentine
A barquentine is a sailing vessel with three or more masts; with a square rigged foremast and fore-and-aft rigged main, mizzen and any other masts.-Modern barquentine sailing rig:...
shipwreck
Shipwreck
A shipwreck is what remains of a ship that has wrecked, either sunk or beached. Whatever the cause, a sunken ship or a wrecked ship is a physical example of the event: this explains why the two concepts are often overlapping in English....
located off the coast of Hutchinson Island in Martin County
Martin County, Florida
Martin County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 126,731. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county is 138,660. Its county seat is Stuart, Florida.- History :...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, with the nearest landmark being the House of Refuge
House of Refuge at Gilbert's Bar
The House of Refuge at Gilbert's Bar, also known as Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge, the House of Refuge Museum, or simply the House of Refuge, is an historic building located at 301 S.E. MacArthur Boulevard, on Hutchinson Island east of Stuart, Florida...
. The iron-hulled barque
Barque
A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel with three or more masts.- History of the term :The word barque appears to have come from the Greek word baris, a term for an Egyptian boat. This entered Latin as barca, which gave rise to the Italian barca, Spanish barco, and the French barge and...
was built in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1869 by Bowdler Chaffer & Company for S. Meyers & Company. Originally christened Cape Clear with Lloyd's of London in 1870, the vessel started its career as a screw steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
with auxiliary sail. She carried passengers on the Australia - Liverpool run. She was purchased by a French firm in 1889, re-christened Georges Valentine and turned into a sailing bark
Bark
Bark is the outermost layers of stems and roots of woody plants. Plants with bark include trees, woody vines and shrubs. Bark refers to all the tissues outside of the vascular cambium and is a nontechnical term. It overlays the wood and consists of the inner bark and the outer bark. The inner...
in 1889 by being stripped of all steam machinery except the boiler. She was rigged as a three-masted barkentine. It was then sold to Dunkirk, also based in France. In 1895, the vessel was sold to Mortolo & Simonetti, based in Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The ship was based in Camagoli, Italy and it transported lumber regularly from Pensacola
Pensacola
Pensacola is a city in the western part of the U.S. state of Florida.Pensacola may also refer to:* Pensacola people, a group of Native Americans* A number of places in the Florida:** Pensacola Bay** Pensacola Regional Airport...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to South America.
In October of 1904, the ship had been sailing with a crew of twelve men and was commanded by Captain Prospero Mortolo. It was carrying a load of milled mahogany from Pensacola to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. On October 13, 1904 the ship sighted Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. They later hit a storm in the Florida Straits and were shipwrecked after the ship grounded in shallow water despite the crews attempts to keep it in deeper water. Captain William E. Rea, Keeper of the House of Refuge, rendered aid to the seven surviving crew members. Five of the crew perished. Georges Valentine sank in a storm on October 16, 1904. The survivors found shelter at House of Refuge at Gilbert's Bar
House of Refuge at Gilbert's Bar
The House of Refuge at Gilbert's Bar, also known as Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge, the House of Refuge Museum, or simply the House of Refuge, is an historic building located at 301 S.E. MacArthur Boulevard, on Hutchinson Island east of Stuart, Florida...
just 100 yards from the wreck site.
On July 19, 2006, it was added to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. On October 16, 2006, it became the eleventh Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve.