Centerville Beach Cross
| Centerville Beach Cross | |
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| Location | Humboldt County, California, United States |
| Nearest city | Eureka, California |
| Coordinates | 40°34′11″N 124°21′06″W / 40.5698°N 124.35155°WCoordinates: 40°34′11″N 124°21′06″W / 40.5698°N 124.35155°W |
| Established | 1921 |
| Governing body | California Historical Landmarks |
| Reference no. | 173 |
The Centerville Beach Cross is a monument that commemorates the 17 passengers and 21 crew members who died in the shipwreck of the SS Northerner on January 6, 1860. The vessel, owned by the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, struck a rock near Cape Mendocino and wrecked on Centerville Beach, in Humboldt County, California. The monument is registered as California Historical Landmark # 173.
The paddle-wheel steamer Northerner, built in New York in 1847, rounded Cape Horn in 1850 and was in active mail service for the next ten years. On January 4, 1860, she left San Francisco on regular route to Victoria and Olympia with the mails. At 4 p.m. on January 5, the ship was sailing in a smooth sea and south winds. Four miles from Cape Mendocino, the steamer passed between the cape and a group of offshore rocks known as Blunt's Reef when a slight bump was felt. On examination, it was found that several planks on the bottom of the ship were scraped off. The captain realized it was impossible to save the ship, and headed to land. Passengers and crew bailed the filling ship while the winds increased to storm levels and a huge surf pounded the beach.
In heavy seas, the ship beached 20 miles below the mouth of Humboldt Bay, near the village of Centerville.
The first boat over the side, piloted by first officer Mr. A. French was filled with four ladies and four children all of whom arrived safely on shore. The next boat capsized and two of her crew drowned, while another lady on this boat washed to shore and was rescued. The third boat also capsized between the wreck and the beach and four crew were lost.
The chief engineer and two firemen, took the quarter boat, rowed to land and placed a line between land and the wrecked ship. Other boats were filled with passengers and crew, although many of the survivors used the line directly to get to shore. Mr. French took his boat back out to the wreck to save others, but it was stuck in an eddy under the wreck and Mr. French and three of his crew drowned.
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