Chicago & Southern Lake Michigan
The busiest lee shore on the lakes
The south end of Lake Michigan gathered the traffic of the whole lake into a handful of crowded harbours.
Chicago and the Indiana ports drew grain, lumber and passenger traffic from every part of the lake, and the approaches were thick with vessels. Northerly gales blow the length of the lake and pile against the southern shore, giving a ship caught out no place to run. Harbour entrances between piers were unforgiving in a sea, and many vessels were lost within sight of the city they were making for.
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Records in These Waters
AvailableA.B.C.F.M.
AH-WR-1721Milwaukee, Wisconsin
May 1902 · Schooner
AvailableA.V. Knickerbocker
AH-WR-1776Port Washington, Wisconsin
Capsized August 26, 1855; subsequent shore grounding and abandonment not separately dated · Schooner
AvailableA.W. Lawrence
AH-WR-1797Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1888 · Tug
AvailableAbiah
AH-WR-1768Sheboygan, Wisconsin
September 1854; capsized September 4, sank later during attempted towing · Schooner · 220 ft deep
AvailableAdvance
AH-WR-1802Oostburg, Wisconsin
1885 · Schooner · 85 ft deep
AvailableAlaska
AH-WR-1810Two Rivers, Wisconsin
Grounded early in 1879; declared a total loss and abandoned in June 1881 · Scow Schooner · 5 ft deep
AvailableAlice E. Wilds
AH-WR-1672Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1892 · Lumber Steamer · Over 300 feet deep
RegisteredAlpena
AH-WR-1504Holland, Michigan
1880 · Sidewheel Passenger Steamer
AvailableAndaste
AH-WR-1505Grand Haven, Michigan
1929 · Self-Unloading Freighter
AvailableAppomattox
AH-WR-0211Shorewood, Wisconsin
1905 · Bulk Steamer · 10 to 20 feet deep
AvailableArkansas
AH-WR-1812Kenosha, Wisconsin
June 1858; day not established. · Schooner
AvailableAtlanta
AH-WR-1763Cedar Grove, Wisconsin
1906 · Passenger And Freight Steamer · 17 ft deep
AvailableBarbarian
AH-WR-0502Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1898 · Schooner
AvailableBelle
AH-WR-1815Port Washington, Wisconsin
1869 · Steam Screw Vessel
AvailableBelle Wallbridge
AH-WR-1748Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1886 · Schooner
AvailableBessie Boalt
AH-WR-1730Two Rivers, Wisconsin
1884 · Schooner
AvailableBig Z
AH-WR-1816Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Winter casualty reported in the Racine Journal in February 1859; exact casualty date not established. · Schooner
AvailableBlue Belle
AH-WR-1798Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1887 · Scow Schooner
AvailableBuckeye State
AH-WR-1817Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Terminal breakup occurred days after the initial November 5, 1852 grounding; exact final-loss date not supplied. · Bark (or Barque)
AvailableByron
AH-WR-1765Amsterdam, Wisconsin
1867 · Schooner · 135 ft deep
AvailableC.S. Davis
AH-WR-1777Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Pier strike December 11, 1881; subsequent beaching and total breakup not separately dated · Schooner
AvailableCape Horn
AH-WR-1819Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1910 · Schooner
AvailableCar Ferry No. 2
AH-WR-0499South Chicago / Hammond, Indiana
1906 · Railroad Car Ferry Barge · 42 ft deep
AvailableChallenge
AH-WR-1753Lake Michigan beach; exact locality unresolved in the reviewed account
1910 · Schooner
AvailableChicora
AH-WR-1506St. Joseph, Michigan
1895 · Wooden Passenger And Package Steamer
AvailableCity of Madison
AH-WR-1905Kenosha, Wisconsin
1877 · Steam Propeller
AvailableConquest
AH-WR-1823Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Probably June 1899; June 22 enrollment surrender is an administrative total-loss date, not an established casualty day. · Schooner
AvailableCoquette
AH-WR-1824Waukegan, Illinois
1866 · Sloop
RegisteredDavid Dows
AH-WR-0090Calumet Harbor, Chicago, Illinois
1889 · Schooner · 40-45 deep
AvailableDavid Wagstaff
AH-WR-1799Lake Michigan: accounts conflict between off Sheboygan, Wisconsin and west of North Fox Island, Michigan
1890 · Schooner
AvailableE.M. Carrington
AH-WR-1956Racine, Wisconsin
1880 · Schooner
AvailableE.M. Portch
AH-WR-1780Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1882 · Schooner
AvailableE.M.B.A.
AH-WR-1770Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1932 · Schooner-Barge · 136 feet at the top of the unloading tower; 170 feet at the bottom deep
AvailableEdna
AH-WR-1781Kenosha, Wisconsin
1887 · Schooner · Historically and reportedly 50 feet; site identification and current depth unverified deep
AvailableEvra Fuller
AH-WR-1805Racine, Wisconsin
1893 · Schooner · 35 ft deep
AvailableF.W. Wheeler
AH-WR-0500Michigan City, Indiana
1893 · Bulk Freighter · 15 ft deep
AvailableForelle
AH-WR-1908Kenosha, Wisconsin
1923 · Fishing Tug
AvailableGeorge F. Williams
AH-WR-0501Michigan City, Indiana
1915 · Bulk Freighter · 15 ft deep
AvailableGeorge Hanson
AH-WR-1951Kenosha, Wisconsin
1857 · Schooner
AvailableGrace A. Channon
AH-WR-1673Oak Creek, Wisconsin
1877 · Three-Masted Canal Schooner · 205 ft deep
AvailableGuiding Star
AH-WR-1975Mequon, Wisconsin
1883 · Schooner
AvailableH.L. Whitman
AH-WR-1957Racine, Wisconsin
1869 · Schooner
AvailableHans Crocker
AH-WR-1909Kenosha, Wisconsin
Late November 1876; the Door County Advocate of December 7, 1876 reports the leak on 'Wednesday night last'. · Bark
AvailableHennepin
AH-WR-1510South Haven, Michigan
1927 · Self-Unloading Steamer
AvailableHenry Cort
AH-WR-1535Muskegon, Michigan
1934 · Whaleback Freighter
AvailableHiram R. Bond
AH-WR-1724Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1905 · Sandsucker
AvailableI.A. Johnson
AH-WR-1769Sheboygan, Wisconsin
September 1890; departed September 22 and sank after an early-morning collision · Scow Schooner · 93 ft deep
AvailableIsland City
AH-WR-1974Mequon, Wisconsin
1894 · Schooner
AvailableJ.D. Marshall
AH-WR-0416Michigan City, Indiana
1911 · Steamer
AvailableJ.M. Allmendinger
AH-WR-1976Fox Point, Wisconsin
1895 · Steam Barge
AvailableJames Navagh
AH-WR-1796Two Rivers, Wisconsin
1868 · Schooner
AvailableJo Vilas
AH-WR-1958Racine, Wisconsin
1876 · Schooner
AvailableKate Kelly
AH-WR-1778Racine, Wisconsin
1895 · Schooner · Historical 1895 report: 60 feet; current depth not independently established deep
AvailableL.B. Shepard
AH-WR-1737Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Capsized October 14, 1898; later reported stripped on the beach · Schooner
AvailableL.R. Doty
AH-WR-1913Kenosha, Wisconsin
1898 · Wooden Bulk Freighter
AvailableLac La Belle
AH-WR-1959Racine, Wisconsin
1872 · Steam Screw
AvailableLady Elgin
AH-WR-0089Highland Park, Illinois
1860 · Passenger Sidewheel Steamer
AvailableLaSalle
AH-WR-1967Two Rivers, Wisconsin
1875 · Canal Schooner
AvailableLaurina
AH-WR-1725Milwaukee, Wisconsin
April 1893; unsuccessful salvage continued into early May · Scow-Schooner
AvailableLavinda
AH-WR-1726Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Before January 9, 1897; exact sinking date unknown · Schooner
AvailableLem Ellsworth
AH-WR-1952Kenosha, Wisconsin
1894 · Schooner
AvailableLookout
AH-WR-1968Two Rivers, Wisconsin
1897 · Schooner
AvailableLottie Cooper
AH-WR-1969Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1894 · Schooner
RegisteredLouisville
AH-WR-0092Chicago, Illinois
1857 · Propeller-Driven Steamboat · 60 ft deep
AvailableM. Courtwright
AH-WR-1953Kenosha, Wisconsin
1871 · Schooner
AvailableM.J. Cummings
AH-WR-1962Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1894 · Schooner
AvailableMajor Anderson
AH-WR-1970Two Rivers, Wisconsin
1871 · Barkentine
AvailableMary B. Hale
AH-WR-1738Manitowoc, Wisconsin
October 1892; exact day conflicts in the institutional account · Schooner
AvailableMaterial Service
AH-WR-0209Chicago, Illinois
1936 · Self-Unloading Barge · 35 to 40 feet deep
AvailableMojave
AH-WR-1972Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1864 · Canal Barkentine
AvailableNorlond
AH-WR-1960Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1922 · Steam Screw
AvailableNortherner
AH-WR-1754Port Washington, Wisconsin
1868 · Schooner · 140 ft deep
AvailableOur Son
AH-WR-1529Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1930 · Three-Masted Schooner
AvailablePathfinder
AH-WR-1971Two Creeks, Wisconsin
1886 · Schooner
AvailablePersia
AH-WR-1795Racine, Wisconsin
1892 · Schooner
AvailablePrins Willem V
AH-WR-0212Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1954 · Cargo Motorship · 70 to 80 feet deep
AvailableR.H. Becker
AH-WR-1784Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Sank May 7, 1908; raised May 16, then moved and abandoned off Michigan Avenue, where she broke up on an unspecified date. Enrollment surrendered May 15. Gallery caption instead dates raising to May 1, 1908. · Scow-Schooner
AvailableR.J. Sanborn
AH-WR-1740Manitowoc, Wisconsin
1873 · Barkentine
AvailableRichard Roe
AH-WR-1739Manitowoc, Wisconsin
1868 · Schooner
AvailableRobert C. Pringle
AH-WR-1977Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1922 · Tug
RegisteredRockaway
AH-WR-0726South Haven, Michigan
1891 · Schooner · 60-70 deep
AvailableRosinco
AH-WR-1927Kenosha, Wisconsin
1928 · Motor Yacht
AvailableRudolph Wetzel
AH-WR-1963Oak Creek, Wisconsin
1882 · Tug
AvailableSea Gem
AH-WR-1735Manitowoc, Wisconsin
1901 · Schooner
AvailableSenator
AH-WR-1507Port Washington, Wisconsin
1929 · Bulk Freighter (Automobile Carrier)
AvailableSheboygan
AH-WR-1747Manitowoc, Wisconsin
1914 · Side-Wheel Steamer
AvailableSilver Lake
AH-WR-1978Cleveland, Wisconsin
1900 · Scow Schooner
RegisteredSilver Spray
AH-WR-0210Chicago, Illinois
1914 · Excursion Steamer · 5 to 15 feet deep
RegisteredSS Milwaukee
AH-WR-0763Fox Point, Wisconsin
1929 · Railroad Car Ferry · 90-125 deep
RegisteredSS Muskegon
AH-WR-0498Michigan City, Indiana
1910 · Package Freighter · 32 ft deep
AvailableSS Wisconsin
AH-WR-0762Kenosha, Wisconsin
1929 · Package Freighter · 100-130 deep
AvailableSt. Albans
AH-WR-1961Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1881 · Steam Screw
AvailableStraits of Mackinac
AH-WR-0415Southern Lake Michigan
Date not established · Schooner
AvailableTanner
AH-WR-1964Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1875 · Bark
AvailableThomas A. Scott
AH-WR-1965Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1880 · Schooner-Barge
AvailableThomas H. Smith
AH-WR-1966Racine, Wisconsin
1893 · Steam Barge
AvailableThomas Hume
AH-WR-1509Chicago, Illinois
1891 · Schooner
AvailableWalter B. Allen
AH-WR-1785Sheboygan, Wisconsin
April 1880: grounded April 10, then sank during the subsequent tow; the source does not separately date that sinking. Documents surrendered April 20, 1880. · Canal Schooner · 165 ft deep
AvailableWells Burt
AH-WR-0208Evanston, Illinois
1883 · Schooner · 35 to 40 feet deep
AvailableWollin
AH-WR-1973Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1897 · Schooner
