The Steamship Mary was a significant vessel in early Texas history, serving as part of the state’s first organized steamship line. The SS Mary was an iron-hulled sidewheel steamer typical of the coastal passenger and freight vessels that operated along the Gulf Coast in the late 19th century. Measuring just over 234 feet in length, with a beam of about 33 feet, the Mary combined an iron hull with largely wooden decks and superstructure, reflecting common shipbuilding practices of the era. After its construction, the SS Mary ran on the Morgan Line on coastal routes between New Orleans, Louisiana and Aransas Pass, Texas at about 5 miles per hour for ten years. Designed to carry both passengers and substantial cargo, the SS Mary could transport more than 1,000 tons when first launched.

The SS Mary was lost at Aransas Pass on the morning of November 30, 1876 while carrying thirty crew members, eight passengers, two horses, and a valuable cargo of general freight including grain, flour, textiles, wagon parts, and bottles of medicine. After a difficult night steaming south from Morgan City, Louisiana, they encountered foul weather, a strong north wind, and a powerful outgoing current at dead low tide that created heavy, pounding surf across the sand bar. The vessel stuck a buoy and then ran aground on the outer bar. The Mercers reached the wreck on their schooner Doaga and succeeded in rescuing all passengers and crew; however, the vessel and the $75,000 in live stock and cargo were declared a total loss. Through its regular service, the SS Mary helped establish dependable coastal transportation, facilitating the movement of people and goods and supporting economic growth along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Since its sinking, the SS Mary has been investigated by multiple companies using geophysical remote sensing and dive survey techniques. The most common remote sensing tools used by marine archaeologists are single or multibeam echosounders, magnetometer, side-scan sonar, and subbottom profiler. These techniques allow archaeologist to create images and record size and positional data about the SS Mary. Dive surveys of the SS Mary have resulted in over 100 artifacts being collected and curated by the Port Aransas Museum. These artifacts give further insight into the construction of the SS Mary as well as the lives of Texans in the 1800s.