Iron Mountain (riverboat)

The Iron Mountain was a large, iron-hulled riverboat that operated on the Mississippi River and its tributaries during the late 19th century. Built in 1872 in Wilmington, Delaware by Harlan and Hollingsworth, she was notable for her immense size and cargo capacity. The Iron Mountain was owned by the Anchor Line, a prominent steamboat company.

She was primarily used for transporting freight, including agricultural products like cotton and grain, as well as general merchandise. The Iron Mountain was known for her speed and efficiency, making her a popular choice for shippers.

The most enduring aspect of the Iron Mountain's history is her mysterious disappearance. On September 16, 1872, she departed Vicksburg, Mississippi, bound for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a cargo of cotton. She was never seen or heard from again, and no wreckage or survivors were ever found.

The disappearance of the Iron Mountain remains one of the great unsolved mysteries of the Mississippi River. Numerous theories have been proposed to explain her fate, ranging from boiler explosions to navigation errors to encounters with river pirates or sabotage. However, none of these theories have been definitively proven, and the true cause of her loss remains unknown. The vessel's disappearance has contributed to the folklore and legends surrounding the Mississippi River.