Indiana
Freighter · United States · Lost 1858 · Whitefish Point & Eastern Lake Superior
An 1848 propeller freighter whose failed shaft seal sank her off Crisp Point, later yielding the oldest surviving American marine engine to the Smithsonian.
Become Captain of RecordSee Shipwreck on Map
The Vessel and Her Loss
Indiana was among the earliest propeller-driven vessels on Lake Superior, passing through the newly opened Soo Locks in 1855 to serve the iron ore trade. In June 1858, a failed propeller shaft seal split her sternpost and she foundered quickly near Crisp Point; all aboard escaped safely. In 1979 her engine, boiler and propeller were recovered by the Smithsonian Institution and U.S. Navy divers.
Vessel
- 1848
- Not established
- Vermilion, Ohio
- Wood
- 146 ft
- 23 ft
- Not established
- Steam, screw propeller
- Frank Perew, People's Line, Cleveland
Loss
- June 6, 1858
- Mechanical failure
- Near Crisp Point, Lake Superior
- Lake Superior
- Marquette, Michigan
- Iron ore
- Not established
- 0
- Captain William McNelley
The Wreck Today
- 110 ft
- Hull largely intact though collapsed on deck; machinery removed in 1979
- Not established
- Not established
- Whitefish Point Underwater Preserve
Position
- 46.76° N 85.26° W
- Approximate position
- Crisp Point, Michigan
Evidence
Overall confidence: Documented (82/100)
Smithsonian Institution Archives
Build details, loss cause, 1979 salvage of machinery.
Loss narrative and cargo.
