NPS Form 10-900 ^\XAc No. 1024-0018 (Rev. 8/86) Wisconsin Word Processor Format (NRF.txt) (Approved 3/87) United States Department of Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES REGISTRATION FORM This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations of eligibility for individual properties or districts. See instructions in Guidelines for Completing National Register Forms (National Register Bulletin 16). Complete each item by marking "x" in the appropriate box or by entering the requested information. If an item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, styles, materials, and areas of significance, enter only the categories and subcategories listed in the instructions. For additional space, use continuation sheets (Form 10-900a). Type all entries. Use letter quality printer in 12 pitch, using an 85 space line and a 10 space left margin. Use only archival paper (20 pound, acid free paper with a 2% alkaline reserve) . 1. Name of Property historic name Steamer Louisiana other names/site number 2. Location street & number Lake Michiqan X Not for Publication citv, town Town of Washincrton X vicinity state Wisconsin code WI countv Door code 029 zip code 54246 3. Classification Ownership of Category of No. of Resources Property Property within Property private building(s) contributing noncontributing public-local district ___ buildings X public-state X site 1_____________ ___ sites public-Federal structure structures object ___ objects 1 0 Total Name of related multiple property No. of contributing resources listing: previously listed in the Great Lakes Shipwrecks of Wisconsin National Register N/A______ State Historical Society of Wisconsin Division of Historic Preservation STATE REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CERTIFICATION FORM Nominated Property: Steamer Louisiana Property Address: Lake Michigan City: Town of Washington_____________ . Zip: 54246 County:___________________ Door_____________________A Review Board Evaluation Historic Preservation Review Board Date: January 17 , 1992 Nomination meets the criteria and is adequately documented. Nomination meets the criteria, but is not adequately documented. Nomination is adequately documented, but does not meet the criteria. J /t y J j ■ n , 19 Chair of Historic Preservation Review Board Da^^ State Historic Preservation Officer Certification As the designated officer under s. 44.32, Wis. Stats., I hereby certify that this: [ Jnomination, [ ] interim listing, or [ ] petition for removal(check one) meets the documentation standards of the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in s. 44.36(2), Wis. Stats., and that this property or district is hereby: Listed in the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places An interim listing in the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places Removed from the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places 4 . State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify that this X nomination __ request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 3 6 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property X meets.___ does not jae^et the National Register criteria. ____ See continuation sheet. Signature/otf certifying official Date State Historic Preservation Officer-WI State or Federal agency and bureau In my opinion, the property ___ meets does not meet the National Register criteria. ___ See continuation sheet. Signature of commenting or other official Date State or Federal agency and bureau 5. National Park Service Certification I, hereby, certify that this property is: entered in the National Register. See continuation sheet. determined eligible for the National Register. __ See continuation sheet determined not eligible for the National Register. removed from the National Register. other, (explain:) _____________ Signature of the Keeper Date 6. Functions or Use Historic Functions Current Functions (enter categories from instructions) (enter categories from instructions) Transportation/water-related Vacant/not in use 7. Description Architectural Classification Materials (enter categories from instructions) (enter categories from instructions) foundation N/A N/A walls N/A_____ roof N/A other N/A Describe present and historic physical appearance. Introduction The LOUISIANA, a second generation bulk carrier, sank off the southeastern side of Washington Harbor, Washington Island, Wisconsin. Her stern lies in 18 feet of water while her bow is near the surface. The LOUISIANA sank during a November gale in 1913, while carrying a cargo of iron ore. At that time, a fire of unknown origin destroyed her superstructure prior to sinking. At present, the LOUISIANA consists of a largely intact hull, associated machinery, cargo, and other items of material culture (Figure 1) . Vessel History The LOUISIANA was built in 1887 in Marine City, Michigan at the yard of Morley and Hill (Figure 2). Her enrolled dimensions were 267.0 foot length, 39.6 beam, and 20.0 depth of hold, with a gross tonnage of 1,929 and a net tonnage of 1,383 (Bureau of Navigation 1912:232; Runge n.d.). She was screw-propelled, wooden-hulled, and was powered by a fore and aft compound (two cylinder) steam engine with cylinders of 26 and 48-inch diameter and a 40-inch stroke. The engine was built by Dry Dock Engine Works of Detroit in 1887 (Runge n.d.), and was rated at 610 indicated horsepower in 1912 (Bureau of Navigation 1912:232). Steam was provided by one firebox-type boiler 10' diameter by 15' 8" length, built at the Dry Dock Engine Works in 1887. Seven hatchways provided access to the hold (Runge n.d.) . The LOUISIANA was a refinement of the bulk carrier design first employed in the R.J. HACKETT and the first generation of forty-seven bulk carriers built between 1869 and the Panic of 1873. Bulk carrier construction resumed again in 1880, and LOUISIANA was part of this second generation of some 170 bulk freighters built during the 1880's. Size increased in the years between 1869 and 1902 (when the last wooden bulk freighters were built) from the HACKETT'S 210 foot length to later generation vessels of 310 foot length. This was made possible more due to channel improvements to the St. Mary's and Detroit Rivers, as well as the St. Clair Flats, than in improvements in shipbuilding techniques. From this point on, iron and steel became the dominant shipbuilding X see continuation sheet NPS FORM 10-900a (Rev. 8-86) Wisconsin Word Processor Format Approved 2/87 United States Department of Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Steamer Louisiana Lake Michigan Section number 7 Page 1 Door County, W i . materials for bulk carriers, permitting greater lengths, superior longitudinal reinforcement, and lower deadweight in relation to vessel size (Labadie and Murphy 1987:58-59). Following twenty-six years service as a bulk freighter, the LOUISIANA was lost in the large November gale of 1913 on Lake Michigan. At that time she was owned by Frank M. Osborne, home port of Cleveland, and under command of Capt. Fred McDonald. The LOUISIANA departed Lorain, Ohio on November 2 with a load of coal for Milwaukee, which she delivered and departed light for Escanaba, Michigan for a cargo of iron ore. A heavy northwest snowstorm struck the LOUISIANA around midnight of November 8, forcing the steamer to take refuge in Washington Harbor, Washington Island, enroute to Escanaba via Death's Door. The combined heavy winds and seas, reportedly exceeding seventy miles per hour, caused the anchors to drag and pushed the steamer perilously close to shore. By morning, a fire of unknown origin was discovered in the hold, and after a fruitless firefighting effort, the crew of seventeen men abandoned the ship to the fire and the storm. The Plum Island lifesaving crew appeared on the scene after bringing their beach apparatus overland, but nothing further could be done, the steamer crew having already taken to the lifeboats. The LOUISIANA burned where she lay, driven up against the rocky southeast shore of Washington Harbor. The gale which destroyed the LOUISIANA blew unabated until the night of November 11, wrecking a reported twenty Great Lakes vessels, damaging seventy-one other ships, and drowning 248 sailors (Door County Advocate 11/11/1913 p.l,c.2; Frederickson and Frederickson 1961:1:63-64). Site Description The wreck of the LOUISIANA lies on the southeast side of Washington Harbor (Figure 3), with her stern in eighteen feet of water, and her bow running almost up to the water's surface. A disarticulated sixteen-foot section of the bow, including cant frames, stempost, bow deadwood, and keelsons, lies exposed on the rocky beach, approximately one-hundred feet to the south of the site (Figure 4). A surviving 239' 6" of the bilge lies on a gradually sloping rocky bottom, flanked by charred and broken pieces of the vessel's sides, machinery, sheet metal, and fastenings. The hull is broken off at the turn of the bilge at the bow (inshore) end, but survives to a height of approximately thirteen feet (keelson to frame tops) at the port and starboard stern quarters. A large debris field of fallen sides and machinery is situated at the starboard quarter, much of this material leading off into deeper water NPS FORM 10-900a (Rev. 8-86) Wisconsin Word Processor Format Approved 2/87 United States Department of Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Steamer Loiusiana Lake Michigan Section number 7 Page 2 Door County, W i . to the northwest. The engine and boiler have been salvaged, but many miscellaneous engineering components such as bearings, pipes, and sheet metal surround the iron engine mount and broken fore and aft cylinders in the stern.