SS Bonnington

The wreck of the S.S. Bonnington is located in Upper Arrow Lake, near Beaton, British Columbia. The hull lies upright, with the bow towards shore and the stern in 10 meters of water, at low water in the spring. The wreck consists of an intact 61.7 meter steel hull and includes the paddlewheel shaft, crank, and some original wooden decking.

British Columbia's Heritage Conservation Act automatically protects all heritage wrecks, including the remains of all wrecked vessels and aircraft once two or more years have passed since the date of loss. It is illegal to damage, alter or remove a heritage object from a heritage wreck except under a permit issued by the Archaeology Branch.

The S.S. Bonnington has historic value as one of the largest paddlewheelers built in western Canada and was considered a luxurious vessel at the height of the steamboat travel era. The wreck site also has scientific and educational value due to the intact hull that demonstrates its unique design and significant scale for archaeological and recreational divers. The wreck site is further valued for its location being near the original towns of Beaton, Comaplix, and Arrowhead, which it served on its passenger routes.

Built in Nakusp, B.C. in 1911, the S.S. Bonnington was the first of a new class of steel-hulled steamships built for the Canadian Pacific Railways British Columbia Lake and River Service, to develop tourism in the Kootenay and Arrow Lakes region. The S.S. Bonnington could carry many passengers and provide the comfort of first-class level of service. The interior of the ship boasted a "gallery" deck above the dining room that was able to accommodate up to 60 seated people, in addition to its numerous lounges, staterooms, cabins, smoke rooms, etc. The machinery needed to power the Bonnington were likely some of the largest boilers and engines that had been built in Canada up to that time, and when the steamboat tourism industry declined due to World War I and the Great Depression, its parts were repurposed for other vessels. Over the course of several years, the Bonnington was partially dismantled until it sank out of neglect in 1960 close to shore in Beaton Arm.

The S.S. Bonnington wreck site contains an intact hull which makes it an important archaeological site for the study of early large, all-steel flat bottom hulls. The hull is constructed of steel that is heavily braced and divided into 20 watertight compartments to ensure the greatest safety from sinking and to allow a shallow draft of 1 metre, the lowest point of the boat underwater. The nearly flat bottom that can be viewed by divers, is evidence of a design to make it easier for the vessel to navigate inland lake waters. Although the cabins and engines were removed in the 1930s, the wreck site still contains other artifacts such as the paddlewheel drive axle, freight deck oak flooring, winch and winch steam drive motor.

The key elements that define the heritage character of the S.S. Bonnington include:

- The large size (62 m long and 12 m wide) of the intact all-steel hull

- The vessel's flat bottom, shallow draft hull with spoon shaped bow design

- The paddlewheel drive shaft and crank

- Other surviving elements of the vessel's construction, including its large freight deck covering most of the main deck, oak decking, boiler hold, winch and winch steam drive motor

- The context and location of the shipwreck on Upper Arrow Lake near the towns of Beaton, Comaplix and Arrowhead