In a little less than two months, the 153rd anniversary of the greatest maritime disaster in U.S. history will be commemorated. On April 27, 1865, at approximately 2:00 a.m., the side-wheel steamboat Sultana experienced catastrophic boiler failure while traveling north on the Mississippi River, just above Memphis, Tennessee. In the blink of an eye, the lives of approximately 2,400 persons were changed drastically, many for eternity.
Gene Salecker and model of the Sultana
