Today it is difficult to imagine, but at one time not so long ago, Owens Lake Steamships ferried supplies and silver ore across Owens Lake from the booming silver town of Cerro Gordo, California. Cerro Gordo was a booming silver town located at high elevations in the White Mountains above the tree line. Water and fuel are hauled up the mountain utilizing freight wagons to support the silver mines.
Owens Lake, nestled in the Owens Valley of California, was once a shimmering gem nestled beneath the towering Sierra Nevada mountains. Spanning over 100 square miles, it was a vital oasis for diverse wildlife and a haven for migratory birds. Its glassy surface reflected the surrounding peaks, creating a picturesque landscape beloved by locals and travelers alike. With its abundant water and fertile shores, it supported Native American communities for centuries. However, as Los Angeles began to grow in the late 19th century, demands for water led to the diversion of the Owens River, gradually desiccating Owens Lake and leaving behind a vast salt flat.
Cerro Gordo was a silver mining town located high in the White Mountains east of Owens Lake. The elevation of the town offered some unique challenges in terms of supplies, such as water and fuel. Infrastructure to support the mines and the community needed to be built by Mortimer Belshaw. These supplies are staged in Keeler, CA and hauled up to the town using teams of wagons and a tramway. It is a natural step to build a ferry system to facilitate the transfer of goods, services and more importantly silver bars produce at Cerro Gordo.
Owens Lake itself faced a significant transformation in the 20th century. The Los Angeles Aqueduct, completed in 1913, diverted water from the Owens River, which fed the lake, to Los Angeles. This diversion caused Owens Lake to dry up, transforming it into a largely dry lakebed with environmental and health issues due to dust storms.
Bessie Brady
The Bessie Brady made its maiden voyage on July 4, 1872. Measuring about 85 feet in length with a 19-foot beam, the vessel could carry up to 100 tons of cargo, significantly reducing the time and cost of transporting ore. The ship’s route ran from the town of Swansea, near the western shore of Owens Lake, to Cartago on the southern shore. From Cartago, the ore was transported to Los Angeles. The steamer was actually so efficient in hauling silver ore to Cartago Landing, near Olancha, Ca, that the bullion began to pile up. The teamsters who hauled the Silver Ore from Olancha to Los Angeles, simply could not keep up with the vessel.
The introduction of the Bessie Brady revolutionized transportation in the Owens Valley. It provided a more reliable and faster means of moving ore from the Cerro Gordo Mines to markets, boosting the local economy. The steamship also transported supplies and passengers, further integrating the remote mining community with the rest of California.
The success of the Bessie Brady was relatively short-lived. By the mid-1870s, the completion of the Carson and Colorado Railroad reduced the need for lake transport. The railroad provided an even more efficient means of moving goods and people, leading to a decline in the use of the steamship.
Despite its decline, the Bessie Brady continued to operate for several years, serving various purposes, including transporting salt from the lake’s evaporative salt works.
| Name | Bessie Brady |
| Other Names | “The Pioneer inland steamer of the Pacific Coast” |
| Years of Operation | June 27, 1872 – May 11, 1882 |
| Length | 85 feet |
| Beam | 16 feet |
| Propulsion | 20 HP Single Cylinder Oscillating Type Steam 10 inch cylinder bore and 10 inch stroke |
| Propeller | 54 inches |
Molly Stevens
The Molly Stevens was a steamboat built in the late in 1877 and launched on in May of that year by Colonel Sherman Vanderventer Stevens. It was named after Molly Stevens, in honor of his daughter Molly.. The vessel was is smaller than the Bessie Perl, but does boast of more powerful powerplant. A few days after its’ maiden voyage, the steamship is swamped in the heavy wind driven lake waters. She is raised again to the surface with the help of the Bessie Brady.
By 1878, the Molly Stevens is only making the occasional trip across the Lake and spends the majority of her time moored. In 1881, the vessels is hauling from $6,000 in bullion a week, which is produced by nearby mills. Due to lack of hauling efficiency, the Molly Stevens is again moored and eventually scrapped in the spring of 1882.
On May 11th, 1882, during a refitted of the more powerful steam plant from the Molly Stevens to the Bessie Brady a fire breaks. The fire is started spontaneously by a combination of the Oakum, oil, paint and tar. The inferno quickly takes hold and destroys the last of the steamships on Owens Lake.
The Molly Stevens and Bessie Brady played a crucial role in the economic development of the Owens Valley. By transporting ore efficiently across Owens Lake, these vessels helped boost the mining industry, which was the backbone of the local economy. The presence of the two steamships reduced the time and cost associated with overland transport, making mining operations more profitable.
Molly Stevens Characteristics
| Name | Molly Stevens |
| Years of operation | 1877 – 1882 |
The Lost Treasure of the Bessie Brady
One other incident, which is not documented, is the alleged existence of a lost treasure in Owens Lake. Allegedly, a wagon load of bullion hauled by the Bessie Brady is swept overboard during a high wind storm. The tale is told that the heavy bullion-filled wagon was not correctly chained to the deck and simply swept over the side.
The story could be from a combination of events, such as the swamping and sinking of the Molly Stevens.
Seemingly a rumor, the Lost Treasure of the Bessie Brady seems to always originate from a person who allegedly heard from someone who knew the captain.