Col. J. E. Sawyer

What lurks beneath the impressive span of the Ravenel Bridge? It’s a forgotten piece of maritime history, the Col. J. E. Sawyer, now known as the Old Sunken Hull. The Col. J. E. Sawyer started its life in 1919. It was a marvel of engineering, the first concrete passenger vessel made in America. This 700-ton, 128.5-foot steamer could carry 500 people. One of nine built by the Newport Shipbuilding Corp., the Col. J. E. Sawyer was christened after a distinguished Brigadier General. The ship’s namesake, James Estcourt Sawyer, had a remarkable military career. He served in the Quartermaster Department, playing a crucial role in the Spanish-American War. He even served on the Spanish War Claims Board in Washington, D.C. before retiring as a Brigadier General. But let’s return to the ship itself. After its military service ended, the Col. J. E. Sawyer embarked on a new chapter in Charleston. Purchased for commercial use, it was intended to ferry passengers across the harbor. This was before the bridges connected Charleston and Mount Pleasant. However, the Sawyer’s commercial life was short-lived. In 1926, it sank near Adger’s Wharf, becoming a headache for port authorities. It earned the nickname “Old Sunken Hull,” a rather inglorious end for such a groundbreaking vessel. Raising the Col. J. E. Sawyer proved a challenge, a spectacle that drew crowds of onlookers. Finally, in 1929, it was raised and towed to its current resting place. Today, the Col. J. E. Sawyer sits quietly beneath the Ravenel Bridge, a hidden gem of Charleston’s maritime past. It serves as a reminder of a time before bridges, when concrete ships were a novelty. The Col. J. E. Sawyer is more than just a sunken hull; it’s a testament to innovation, a symbol of a bygone era.