AH-WR-0558

Hen and Chickens Brick Wreck

Barge (Possibly Converted Steamship Hull) · United States · Lost 1949 · The Florida Keys

A brick-laden barge that broke its tow in 1949 and grounded on Hen and Chickens Reef after a father and son clung through the night to its mast.

Become Captain of Record See Shipwreck on Map

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Interpretive Reconstruction, drawn to convey the vessel's era, type and general form. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

In July 1949, a barge carrying 26,000 bricks bound for a Key West home broke free from its tug about 8 miles northeast of Alligator Reef Light and drifted onto Hen and Chickens Reef. Macey Scott and his son Orville, aboard the barge, clung to its mast through the night; Orville swam ashore the next morning to summon help. The barge could not be saved and about 8,000 bricks were lost, though most cargo was eventually delivered. Archaeologists now believe the wreck's hull form is that of a converted steamship rather than a typical rectangular barge.

Vessel

Built: Not established
Builder: Not established
Yard: Not established
Material: Iron
Length: 100 ft
Beam: Not established
Tonnage: Not established
Propulsion: Towed (no independent propulsion)
Owners: Not established

Loss

Date: July 1, 1949
Cause: Grounding
Location: Hen and Chickens Reef, Plantation Key, Florida
Water: Straits of Florida
Voyage: Georgia (brick source) → Key West, Florida
Cargo: 26,000 bricks, of which about 8,000 were lost
Aboard: 2
Lives lost: 0
Master: Not established

The Wreck Today

Depth: Not established
Condition: Only the forward half of the vessel remains, extending along a 100-foot axis with the bow rising to within 10 feet of the surface; a few bricks remain scattered nearby.
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Hen and Chickens Sanctuary Preservation Area, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Position

Coordinates: 24.94° N 80.55° W
Accuracy: Approximate position
Nearest: Plantation Key, Florida
Region: The Florida Keys

Position corresponds to Hen and Chickens Reef as generally published for the Sanctuary Preservation Area.

Evidence

Overall confidence: Partially documented (65/100)

The vessel's original identity and name are not established; only its function as a brick-carrying barge and the date of loss are documented.

NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Loss narrative, rescue account, cargo details, wreck condition.
Miami Herald and Miami News, 1949 (via NOAA citation)
Contemporary rescue and cargo loss reporting cited by NOAA.