the SS 'North American' on the Chicago River

The SS North American was a Great Lakes steamboat built by the Great Lakes Engineering Works at Ecorse, Michigan for the Chicago, Duluth & Georgian Bay Transit Company and launched on 16 January 1913; she was the older of two sister ships, the newer one being the SS South American.

The North American was 280 feet (85 metres) in length, had a 47-foot (14 metre) beam, and drew 17 feet 6 inches (5.33 metres). She was equipped with a 2,200 hp quadruple expansion steam engine and three coal-burning Scotch boilers. In 1923 the boilers were converted to burn oil.

In 1963 the North American was sold to the Canadian Holiday Co. of Erie, Pennsylvania. The company used her in cross-lake service between Erie, Pennsylvania and Port Dover, Ontario for a year until she was retired in 1964. After being retired from service the North American was finally sold at public auction to the Seafarers International Union in 1967 and she was to be used as a training ship at Piney Point, Maryland.

While the North American was in the North Atlantic being towed to Piney Point, she unexpectedly sank on 4 September 1967, 25 miles (40 km) northeast from Nantucket Light at a depth of 250 feet (76 metres) of water. The wreck still remains at this location. (edited from wikipedia)