Go on a History Cruise with the Goodhue County Historical Society aboard the Pearl of the Lake! Travel the waters of Lake Pepin and the Mississippi River while learning about local history. The Sea Wing Disaster has been called by some “Minnesota’s Titanic”. The Sea Wing was a stern-wheeled steamer that originated in Diamond Bluff, Wisconsin. On July 13, 1890, it set sail for Camp Lakeview, just south of Lake City, with passengers from both sides of the river, mainly Red Wing. After a storm raised havoc on Lake City, the ship’s captain set the boat out into Lake Pepin as more storm clouds could be seen on the horizon. At 8:30 p.m., just off Central Point, the Sea Wing would capsize and the lake would claim 98 victims in all. To this day, the Sea Wing Disaster remains one of the worst inland water tragedies in the country. Historian Fred Johnson will narrate the cruise as we retrace the path of the Sea Wing on that fateful day. Copies of Fred Johnson’s book, The Sea Wing Disaster: Tragedy on Lake Pepin are available at the History Center or via our online store. Cost for the History Cruise is $25 per person.
