107 years later, the Brookhill ferry: 'It's kind of magical to find a sunken ship'

Downtown Baton Rouge offers an impressive vista of the "Father of Waters". Most folks who take a moment to appreciate the view stand atop the levee, gazing out onto the water and at the new Mississippi River Bridge. They watch the giant barges slowly make their way.

Patrick Ford is not one of those people.

Once or twice a month, Ford climbs to the top of the levee that runs along River Road in downtown Baton Rouge and keeps going. Hiking poles in hand, he pushes through the brambles and trash on the river side of the levee and carefully makes his way down to the shores of the Mississippi.

While walking along the banks of the Mississippi River on Oct. 2, 2022, Patrick Ford came across the remains of what he later learned to be the Brookhill, a ferry that sank in 1915.

Once there, he walks down the banks -- appreciating the view, but mainly looking at the ground. Generally, he picks up small pieces of broken plates, pottery and square nails galore. Until recently, his favorite finds were large, shiny chunks of coal.

But about three months ago, he was approaching the tree line near where North Street intersects North River Road when he noticed something he had never seen before. It appeared to be the top of a wooden wall unearthed by the river dropping and the scouring away of surrounding sediments. After a closer look, he wondered whether it was part of an old dock. He carried on with his walk and didn't think a whole lot more about it.

Then, on Oct. 2, a day after his 40th birthday, he went for another walk along the Mississippi. The river was much lower than before. As he approached the tree line again, he realized that what he had thought was a wall was much more exposed.

"Was this a wall, after all?" he thought. He examined it more closely, then texted his partner: "Hey, I think I found a sunken ship."

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From there, things began to snowball.

"At first, I had no idea where to turn," Ford said.

But he made a few calls and started sleuthing on Facebook.

Before long, he connected with Chip McGimsey, the Louisiana state archeologist. McGimsey met Ford to take a look at the boat.

"And I thought, 'Holy moly, the state archeologist is interested,'" Ford said.

From left to right, state archeologist Chip McGimsey, Allen Saltus and Renee Erikson, all archeologists, survey and measure the remains of the Brookhill, a ferry that sank in 1915, accessible and revealed due to the low water level of the Mississippi River and the scouring away of sediments that have kept what's left of the boat covered for decades. The shipwreck is located near the tree line along the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Baton Rouge.

McGimsey was indeed interested -- and identified the boat as a ferry called the Brookhill.

The Brookhill joined the Baton Rouge ferry fleet in 1895 to carry traffic across the river, according to a 1960 story in The Sunday Advocate. Its sister ship was called the Istrouma.

The Istrouma was the day ferry. The Brookhill worked nights. Both were moored at the city docks.

During a hurricane, the Istrouma broke loose and sank down river. The Brookhill sank in place.

"Disaster struck on Sept. 29, 1915, as a hurricane blew in from the Gulf breaking the Istrouma from her dock and carrying her down the river to where the railroad station is, and sinking her," The State Times reported. "She sank slowly however, and the watchman had time to get safely to shore before she went under. Her stacks could be seen above the water for quite some time. ... The Istrouma's mate, the Brookhill, also went down at the dock when great piles of logs were driven against her and crushed her hull."

According to 1915 news reports, both the Brookhill and the Istrouma "were covered by insurance" and the Brookhill would be raised.

A closer view of classified from the Dec. 2, 1915, State Times, advertising that the wreckage of the steamer Brookhill was for sale to the highest bidder.

Two months later, on Dec. 2, 1915, the State Times ran a classified ad on the front page: "FOR SALE: Wreck of steamer Istrouma, steamer Brookhill, two landing docks, to the highest bidder for cash. Apply at the office Baton Rouge Ferry Co. G. Montfort, Secretary."

Archeologist Renee Erickson, with the State of Louisiana Archeology Division, said about a quarter of what was once the Brookhill remains — until the river covers her once again.

"It won't look like this the next time she shows up," McGimsey said.

Archeologists dug out mud and sediment to reveal more of how the Brookhill was built. The Brookhill sank in 1915 along the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Baton Rouge. It was revealed due to low water levels in October 2022.

McGimsey, who specializes in Louisiana's Native American archeology, knew exactly who to call about Ford's discovery — Allen Saltus of Jackson, Louisiana. Saltus is a retired archeologist who specializes in boats. McGimsey and Saltus went down to the shipwreck site twice in the last week to excavate and learn as much as they could how the boat was built. The archeologists agree that the Brookhill is not a particularly important vessel but want to learn as much as they can about it before she's under water again.

"What we have a lot of times is people saying, 'We know everything...just go to the library to see it,'" Saltus said. "You can get photographs in the library, but the photographs don't tell you how a boat was put together. How they were put together tells you a lot about the economy of when they were built."

File photo taken Oct. 11, 2022, of lead sieve on the side of the Brookhill, the ferry that sank in 1915 and was revealed by low water levels in October 2022. The sieve has since been pried off the boat's remains and stolen.

Though he had never heard of the Brookhill a week ago, since then Saltus has already gathered more information about the ferry - the 1915 sinking of the Brookhill was not its first mishap.

"We've got the Brookhill going down at least twice. She was recovered and repaired, and then went down again in 1915," Saltus said. "So many times you have a pile of boards. Well, that pile of boards represents history. We can't bring up every boat. We don't have places to put them, but we need to document them before they're lost."

The archeologists are unanimous in their joy that what remains of the Brookhill is so accessible. On Tuesday, a mother and two sons made the trek down the levee to view the remains.

The Brookhill, a ferry that sank in 1915, rests along the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Baton Rouge. The remains of the boat were revealed due to low water levels in October 2022.

"What's really cool about this boat is that the public can walk right up and touch it. They can walk inside it," McGimsey said. "Mothers bringing kids down who are interested for a few minutes - and then they want to throw rocks in the river — that is the fun part. So much of the past is either in a museum or a park where you're not supposed to touch things or dig. This wreck is out there where everyone can come play with it."

McGimsey said archeological opportunities like the Brookhill are rare.

"The river doesn't go down like this very often," he said. "It prompts people to bring to our attention other things people know about. I've gotten a number of folks who have let me know about other possible places, including what may be another shipwreck near Morgan City."

Ford has enjoyed the experience and hopes the interest in the Brookhill will encourage a deeper understanding of local history.

"It's kind of magical to find a sunken ship," Ford said.

McGimsey says the charm of the story has brought welcome attention to the region and state's archeological potential.

"When you start getting the word out," McGimsey said, "it's those fingers of communication that you have no control over that can lead to very interesting things."

Email Jan Risher at [email protected].

The Mississippi River is at its lowest level in the past 10 years, revealing long sunken boats and causing problems for shipping companies.