In 1910, prospector Charles H. Spencer, driven by the allure of gold in the Chinle shale near Lee’s Ferry, Arizona, commissioned the construction of the stern-wheel steamboat, Charles H. Spencer. Built by Robertson-Schultz Co. in San Francisco, the vessel was intended to transport coal to power Spencer’s mercury amalgamation gold extraction process. The 92.5-foot boat, powered by a 110 horsepower boiler and a 12-foot stern paddle, was assembled at Warm Creek after its parts were shipped by rail and ox-cart. However, the Charles H. Spencer proved ill-suited for the treacherous Colorado River, consuming its own cargo of coal and proving difficult to navigate. After a brief period of operation, the boat was abandoned in 1914. It subsequently sank during a 1921 flood, and its superstructure was salvaged. Today, the remnants of the hull and boiler remain submerged, serving as a historical marker of a failed mining venture and the challenges of early 20th-century river transportation.
Photos by NPS. Public domain.