Desert Steamers in Owens Valley, California
Nestled on the eastern flank of the majestic Sierra Nevada Range, Owens Valley, California, presents a landscape of stark beauty and surprising history. While its present-day appearance is dominated by arid plains and the ghost of a once-vibrant lake, a peculiar chapter unfolded here during the silver mining boom of the 1870s: the era of the Desert Steamers in Owens Valley, California. This unlikely maritime story, set against the backdrop of a burgeoning industry and a harsh environment, speaks of ingenuity, ambition, and the fleeting nature of boomtown prosperity.
The narrative begins in 1872 with the launch of the Bessie Brady, a steamboat christened on the saline waters of Owens Lake. This event, though not the first instance of steamboats on Pacific Coast inland waters, as similar vessels had plied the waters of Lake Tahoe in 1864, Meadow Lake in 1866, and Donner Lake shortly thereafter, it was an unusual and striking event. The Bessie Brady was boldly proclaimed as "The Pioneer inland steamer of the Pacific Coast," even though this wasn’t factual. Imagine the scene: a steamboat, a vessel typically associated with rivers and coastlines, navigating the waters of a lake situated in close proximity to the arid expanse of Death Valley.
The genesis of this project lies with James Brady, the superintendent of the Owens Lake Silver-Lead Company’s smelting furnaces located on the eastern shore of the lake. The Bessie Brady was not intended for leisurely cruises or passenger transport. Its primary purpose was utilitarian: to efficiently transport silver bullion from the furnaces to the foot of the lake, where it would await the arrival of wagon teams destined for distant markets. The Desert Steamers in Owens Valley, California were therefore conceived as a vital link in the chain of silver production and distribution.
The Bessie Brady proved to be more than just a solitary experiment. Over the ensuing years, a small fleet of other steamers joined her on Owens Lake. These vessels collectively lessened the dependence on the numerous teams of horses and mules that had previously struggled to navigate the deep sand surrounding the lake. The introduction of Desert Steamers in Owens Valley, California brought a new, more efficient method of transportation.
Ironically, the success of the steamers inadvertently created a new logistical bottleneck. While the vessels effectively moved the ore across the lake, the wagon teams responsible for hauling it away from the lake’s edge couldn’t keep pace. The resulting accumulation of bullion became so substantial that it forced the mines to curtail production, leading to periods when the steamers were idled at dock. The Desert Steamers in Owens Valley, California found themselves victims of their own success, hampered by the limitations of the land-based transportation system.
The impasse was eventually resolved when a new freighting company consolidated the smaller operations in the area and deployed a force of fifty-six teams to haul bullion southward. This significantly improved the flow of shipments. The revitalized freighting company thrived until 1876, when the completion of the Southern Pacific Railroad to the Mojave Desert altered the transportation landscape once again. The railroad became the new southern terminus for freight lines, effectively shortening the overland haul by over one hundred miles. This development marked the beginning of the end for the Desert Steamers in Owens Valley, California.
Another key figure in the Owens Valley story was Colonel Sherman Vanderventer Stevens, who owned a sawmill supplying lumber to the mines and smelters around the lake. Recognizing an opportunity to streamline his operations, Stevens constructed his own steamer to handle his burgeoning lumber business. Though smaller than the Bessie Brady, this new vessel boasted a more powerful engine. It was launched in May 1877.
Disaster struck just days after her maiden voyage when a fierce windstorm overwhelmed the new steamer, sending her to the bottom of the lake. Undeterred, Stevens immediately sought assistance, and with the help of the Bessie Brady, the sunken vessel was salvaged. After being refitted, the steamer was rechristened the Mollie Stevens in honor of the Colonel’s daughter, and she made her first successful voyage across the lake in early June.
However, the fortunes of the Mollie Stevens were short-lived. As mining activity around the lake began to wane, the steamer’s utility diminished. By the end of 1878, she was making only infrequent trips, spending most of her time moored idly. The Bessie Brady continued to operate for about a year longer before being hauled ashore at Ferguson’s Landing, where her machinery was removed. The era of the Desert Steamers in Owens Valley, California appeared to be drawing to a close.
The arrival of Captain Julius M. Keeler in Owens Valley in the winter of 1879 briefly rekindled hope for the steamboats. Acting as an agent for eastern investors, Keeler established the Owens Lake Mining and Milling Company, laying out a town and mill sites near the Cerro Gordo Landing in March 1880. This landing was later renamed Keeler in his honor.
Seeking a more economical means of acquiring construction materials, the company acquired Stevens’ sawmill property, including the Mollie Stevens, and put her back into service. The mill was completed in the spring of 1881, producing a higher grade of refined ore that was easier to transport. The Mollie Stevens hauled the silver across the lake.
Unfortunately, the Mollie Stevens proved less efficient than anticipated. In the spring of 1882, the Bessie Brady was slated to be refitted with the engines from the smaller steamer. However, on May 11, 1882, as the work neared completion, a spontaneous fire erupted, fueled by oakum, oil, paint, and tar. The Bessie Brady was quickly engulfed in flames and destroyed. The conflagration spelled the definitive end of the steamboat era on Owens Lake. Later that year, railroad tracks reached the northern end of the valley, further solidifying the dominance of rail transport.
Even after the demise of the steamers, a captivating treasure legend began to circulate. The tale spoke of $200,000 in gold bullion lost either on the Mollie Stevens during her ill-fated maiden voyage or on the Bessie Brady when she perished in the blaze.
While it seems improbable that the Mollie Stevens would have been carrying cargo on her first trip or that the Bessie Brady would have been laden with gold before being completely refitted, the legend persists, adding a layer of intrigue to the history of Owens Lake.
Another unsubstantiated story tells of a wagonload of bullion lost from one of the steamers. According to the tale, a steamer carrying two wagons loaded with bullion lost one when a high wind swept it overboard. The story goes on to say that some of the gold was recovered, but a significant amount remained at the bottom of the lake.
Today, Owens Lake is a desolate, sandy basin nestled in Owens Valley, between Death Valley National Park and Sequoia National Park. The lake, once fed by the Owens River for millennia, was a body of water. However, in the early 20th century, the City of Los Angeles began diverting water from the Owens River and runoff from the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913 led to the lake’s dramatic shrinkage. By 1926, Owens Lake was completely dry, transforming the 110 square-mile lake bed into one of the dustiest places in the nation. Owens Lake is located in Inyo County, California.
Despite the debates surrounding the existence of hidden gold beneath the sands of Owens Lake, the discovery of a 300-pound ship propeller and a 400-pound hand-wrought iron anchor confirms that the lake holds secrets of its past. The story of the Desert Steamers in Owens Valley, California remains a captivating testament to the ingenuity and resilience of those who sought to tame the harsh landscape of the American West.