Did you know that the largest marine disaster in the North Atlantic before the Titanic, occurred on the very shores of a picturesque community in Nova Scotia?
On the treacherous morning of April 1st, 1873, what was the greatest luxury liner of its time would crash upon the shores of Lower Prospect. The SS Atlantic was part of the White Star Line and one of the newer steam-fueled and sail vessels. It was on its 19th voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, making its way from Liverpool, United Kingdom to New York, United States. Aboard it rode 954 persons, passengers and crew, as well as much valuable cargo such as copper, iron and earthenware.
Captain James A. Williams was the man controlling the ship and the person whom many blame for the crash. On the eve of April, 1873, it was decided that the ship would not make it all the way to New York and instead would have to refuel with coal in Halifax Harbour. Alas, the infamous stormy seas and foggy nights along the Nova Scotian shores had Captain Williams tricked – he had believed to be near Halifax when he was in fact in a large cove near the fishing community of Terence Bay. And on that morning, at 3:15am on the 1st of April, the ship smashed roaringly into the rocky shores and sank taking 562 lives with it, including all women and children with the exception of one young boy. Had it not been for the heroism and bravery of the seaside community, that number would have surely been much larger.
Now generations after, the SS Atlantic is not forgotten. A commemorative monument was erected in 1915 by the owner of the White Star shipping line, on the burial site of the 277 unidentified victims of the wreck. This site is kept up by boardmembers of the SS Atlantic Heritage Park Society to keep the memory alive in the community.