The John Evenson: the Little Tug That Wasn’T There by Dr, Richard Boyd

March 2008 Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage 1 Wisconsin’s UNDERWATER HERITAGE

Vol.18 No. 1 A publication of the Wisconsin Underwater Archeology Association March 2008

The John Evenson: The Little Tug That Wasn’t There by Dr, Richard Boyd

n the extensive maritime history Ocean Wave which was located off of Door County, several notable Whitefish Bay in 2004. Divers had Ishipwrecks have seemingly per- given up on this wreck because formed the proverbial “vanishing of disinformation that had been act.” In these unusual cases, a ves- entered into the historical record sel was completely lost in a mari- at the time of her loss in 1879. Fathoms Deep but time mishap that was thoroughly Nevertheless, commercial fishermen documented with regard to time, fortuitously found the vessel at a Not Forgotten: place, and aftermath. However, for site far from where she reportedly unknown reasons, divers have been sank. In this article, we’ll take a Wisconsin’s Lost unable to find these particular ves- look at the tugboat John Evenson, Shipwreck Sites sels, despite precise historical infor- a small vessel lost off Clay Banks mation as to where they should be. in 1895, which has eluded div- The foremost example of this ers and salvagers for over 110 Part II: situation would be the schooner J. years. Interest in this ship renewed F. King, lost in 1886 off North Bay, when the Wisconsin Underwater Racine County in a foundering precisely described Archeology Association (WUAA) by Brendon Baillod by eyewitnesses. Numerous wreck recently began cataloging and sur- hunters using highly sophisti- veying sunken pier and wreck sites his article is the second in cated sonar have conducted timely in the Clay Banks township of Door a continuing series examin- searches for this craft, but all to no County. Ting the historical maritime avail. Over the years, many rumors Its owner and namesake, John archeology sites in Wisconsin. This that the King had been found have Evenson, built the tug in Milwaukee installment will review the historical floated about, but all have proved in 1884. Evenson was an interesting shipwrecks of Racine County. Like baseless. Another example of a maritime character who was once Kenosha in the preceding article, misplaced wreck would be the scow an active commercial fisherman that Racine boasts a high shipwreck density due to her position between From the Milwaukee Public Library Collection continued on page 4 the busy ports of Milwaukee and Chicago. After being settled in the mid-1830s, Racine quickly devel- oped as a Lake port despite her shallow river mouth harbor. The harbor first began to see traffic in the 1830s when steamers from the east began to anchor off the river to ferry in passengers and freight. In 1839, a lighthouse was erected

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Association News Action Meeting Milwaukee Fireboat SS Meteor Project The next action planning meet- Survey—2008 Fieldwork The Great Lakes Shipwreck ing will be held on Saturday April The Wisconsin Underwater Preservation Society is sponsoring 12, 2008 at Brendon’s house in Archeology Association will once a Preservation work weekend on Marshall, WI. All members are invit- again partner with the Great Lakes the whaleback museum ship S.S. ed to attend. For more information Shipwreck Research Foundation to Meteor, in Superior. email WUAA at [email protected]. conduct fieldwork on the wreck of The weekend that GLSPS has Milwaukee Fireboat #23. This year’s planned for the project is, Saturday Volunteers Needed for fieldwork will concentrate on com- and Sunday, April 26 & 27. WUAA Baileys Harbor Summer pleting the final site plan and will be will be participating in the project. led by Kimm Stabelfeldt, director of For more information, check the web 2008 Project the GLSRF. A presentation covering site of either organization- wuaa.org The Wisconsin Underwater the joint WUAA/GLSRF fieldwork or glsps.org. Archeological Association will con- done on the Fireboat in the 2007 tinue conducting underwater site season will be given at this year’s surveys in the Harbor of Baileys Ghost Ships Festival on March 8 Harbor on Saturday, May 31 and and will feature WUAA members Sunday June 1, 2008. Volunteer div- Marshall and Laura Lokken. WUAA ers are needed for measuring and would like to thank GLSRF and sketching work. all who participated in the 2007 If you are interested, please con- Fireboat fieldwork. tact Russel Leitz at rleitz@mwwb. Also, a training session has been net or call 715-258-2935 or Steve tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Wagner at swagner1922@sbcglobal. June 21 at South Shore Yacht Club net or call 920-749-9153. on the steamer Volunteer. Check the following web sites for updates: wuaa.org or glsrf.org.

Wisconsin’s semiannual meetings President: Directors: and provides support Brendon Baillod Richard Boyd Underwater to members’ research Marshall Delafield Heritage and publication projects. Vice-President: Danny Aerts Annual membership dues Hank Whipple Middleton is published quar- are $20. For membership Madison terly by the Wisconsin information write to the Janet Defnet Treasurer: Underwater Archeology postal or email address Mukwonago Steve Wagner Association, a nonprofit below. Appleton association of individu- Mail correspondence to: als and organizations Secretary WUAA interested in studying Paul Laue PO Box 6081 and preserving the under- Madison Madison, WI 53716 water cultural resources Newsletter Editor: email: wuaa@mailbag. and historical sites of Danny Aerts com Wisconsin. Middleton web site: In addition to publish- www.wuaa.org Web site Manager: ing this newsletter, the Colin Zylka Association also holds Waukesha March 2008 Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage 3

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Alexander, who owned an exten- decided to scoot ahead of the steam- The John Evenson sive stone quarrying business barge, a maneuver that necessitated continued from page 1 in Sturgeon Bay. The workboat crossing her bow. The Stephenson, was used primarily to tow ves- which was clipping along at about eventually became the Keeper of sels through the Sturgeon Bay Ship 10 miles per hour, snagged the stern the Milwaukee Lifesaving Station. Canal and to move loaded barges at of the tug and swung her around His new tugboat was 54.2 feet long the Laurie Stone Quarry, located on into the direct path of the steamer. by 13.8 feet wide with a depth of the north shore of the Green Bay The was violently rolled 7.1 feet and a gross weight of 32.7 Evenson entry to the channel. In early June over, swamped and sunk within a tons. Its official number was 76523. of 1895, the was taken to mere three minutes! Evenson promptly sold the craft to Evenson Manitowoc for some repairs to her George O. Spear, who moved it to The crew of the Evenson strug- firebox. Upon completion of that Door County to work in the lumber gled to escape a watery death work, the crew headed home on June trade towing log rafts. Spear operat- because the suddenness of the sink- 5th. Upon reaching the mill town of ed the Island Mill near Sturgeon Bay ing produced a nasty downward suc- Foscoro, Captain John Laurie decided and was a son of Thomas Spear, a tion in the frigid springtime waters. to dock and await any vessel need- prominent early boat builder located Laurie, Cofrin, Laplant, and Risteau ing assistance entering the Ship at Little Sturgeon Bay. The Evenson were all dragged down by the under- Canal, only eight miles to the north. soon became a familiar sight around tow, but each struggled back to the (Foscoro, today a vanished ghost local ports. surface. Risteau, who could not town, was then an active port at the swim, probably would have drowned In 1890, the tug was purchased mouth of Stoney Creek with a size- if Laplant had not assisted him by the Laurie brothers, John and able pier extending onto some floating debris. Martin out well into the Boswell, who was working below lake.) Laurie’s crew decks, did not make it. He attempted at this time was: to escape through a small open Engineer Ashley hatch, but the suction apparently Cofrin, Assistant prevented his evacuation. His body Engineer Charles eventually drifted ashore at Foscoro Risteau, Steward on July 20th. The stricken castaways Cyrus Laplant, were promptly rescued by the crew and Cook Martin of the Stephenson who provided Boswell. them with dry clothing and returned Around 5 pm, them to Sturgeon Bay about 9 pm the big steam- that evening. barge I.Watson The Evenson turned out to be Stephenson sig- a total loss. Her declared value naled for help in was $4,500 (another source says negotiating the $3,500) and she carried fire insur- canal entry. The ance for $3,800, but no coverage for Stephenson, on collision or other accident. The origi- her maiden voy- nal newspaper report gave the depth age, was towing at the wreck site as around 90 feet two large consorts, and about four miles offshore. This the Peshtigo and depth discouraged any initial salvage the Alert. The attempt and none was immediately Evenson promptly planned. The vessel’s enrollment was steamed out to the surrendered at Milwaukee on 7 June Stephenson and 1895 and “total loss - capsized” was picked up her main scrawled across the upper face of the towline. Captain document (see adjacent copy). Laurie then made However, only a week later, an a fatal error: he unnamed wrecking firm offered to March 2008 Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage 5

nation for the be much over 65 feet, which adds lack of action. further confusion to the matter. Thus Thus the Evenson it becomes difficult to chart a mean- remained lost and ingful search area that satisfies all largely forgotten these possible parameters. The result until 1980 when is a fairly large search grid. the late mari- Secondly, only a few concerted time historian searches have been made for the Dr. Walter Hirthe wreck and most of these were wrote an article conducted years ago with sonars on the vessel that were far less advanced than for Soundings, today’s towfish models, which have the journal of enhanced sensitivity and built-in the Wisconsin GPS tracking systems. In the annals Marine Historical of shipwrecks hunting, there are Society (see ref- several notable cases of wrecks erences listed at being found exactly where they were the end of this reportedly lost, but that were simply article). This missed time and again by explorers. essay tweaked A classic case in Door County was the interest of that of the steamer Hackley, which several shipwreck was found in 1980 precisely where hunters (includ- she was lost, yet divers had futilely ing the author) sought her resting place for over 25 who subse- years! The Evenson may simply be quently searched another case of an elusive target, the bottomlands and nothing more. north of Algoma. As mentioned earlier, renewed raise the tug for $1,000, but appar- The Evenson interest in the Evenson occurred was never found, although about ently the Lauries did not accept the when WUAA began surveying this same time, the sunken schoo- proposal. Two years passed and underwater sites in the Clay Banks ner Daniel Lyons was discovered, that situation changed significantly, region. The Nimrods’ Dive Club of largely by accident. The Lyons lies probably because the uncovered ves- Green Bay has even offered a $500 in the same general area where the sel had now become public property, reward for the vessel’s discovery Evenson was reportedly lost. as dictated by marine law of that (see adjacent flyer). Expeditions in day. In August 1897, Alex Laurie So, considering the abundance of 2008 will likely conduct some thor- prepared to raise the tug using the information on the Evenson, includ- ough searches for the “little tug that schooner Paige as a work platform. ing location data, why has it never wasn’t there”… or is it? The location was reported to be been found? There are several likely Works cited. about six miles north of Algoma in reasons. First, if one examines all 80 feet of water. Only a week later, the reports, a number of conflict- Walter M. Hirthe, “The Loss of the Lauries once again postponed ing locations are given: (1) Five the J. Evenson,” Soundings 20, the raising, stating that another miles north of Algoma off Stoney No. 4, 1980, 1-2. attempt would be made the follow- Creek four miles from shore in 90 Door County Advocate, 8 June ing summer. At this time, the Door feet of water; (2) Six miles north 1895. County Advocate reported that only of Algoma, off Foscoro in 80 feet Ibid., 21 August 1897. 36 feet of water covered the ves- of water, and (3) three miles off Paul J. Creviere, Jr., Wild Gales sel, which should make for an easy Stoney Creek in 102 – 132 feet of and Tattered Sails, DePere WI, recovery. water. And if we include Laurie’s Privately published, 1997, 152- Surprisingly, the tugboat was own observation that there was 153. never recovered and there is no evi- only 36 feet of water over the ves- dence to the contrary or any expla- sel, the total water depth could not 6 Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage March 2008

was freed and departed for Manistee Schooner Sylvanus Marvin: Racine County the same week under Captain Green. (no#), built 1842, 65.0 x 18.9 x Shipwrecks She was never heard from again and 6.1 ft., 64.63 gt. BOM was declared a total loss in March continued from page 1 This schooner, also seen as Sylvester 1848. Marvin, is reported to have foun- Schooner Bolivar: (no#), built dered off Racine on May 22, 1851. to assist vessels in locating the har- 1842, 46.28 gt. BOM She was lost with eight crew and her bor and by 1840, the sandbars at captain, W.P. Denton. She ran out of the river mouth had been removed Bound Milwaukee to Chicago, this Milwaukee primarily in the lumber enough to allow small schooners small schooner was blown ashore in trade. Sources also place this loss off to enter. Since that time, Racine a gale three miles north of Racine on Grand Haven, MI. has seen many vessel losses with November 21, 1847. She broke up the greatest number occurring in over the winter, a total loss for her Schooner Mary Ann Larned: the period 1850–1900. The follow- owner, J.P. Allen of Chicago. (no#), built 1846, 73.0 x 17.8 x ing list includes all known total Schooner LaSalle: (no#), built 6.9 ft., 79.33 gt. BOM loss shipwrecks to commercial ves- 1835, 83.0 x 24.0 x 9.8 ft., 167.46 On May 23, 1851 this schooner was sels in Racine County waters. It gt. BOM driven through Waterman’s Bridge was compiled over the course of 20 Bound Chicago to Buffalo on Pier at Racine and blown upon the years from hundreds of sources by September 23, 1849, the LaSalle beach, with a lumber cargo. She was Brendon Baillod and Bob Jaeck. capsized and was last seen on reported pulled off the beach, but at Schooner McFarlane: (no#) built her beam ends about 12 miles off $1300 her loss was likely total. about 1840, size unknown. Racine. Eight of her crew were lost Schooner Young America: On December 1, 1841 a schooner and one was rescued. Sources sug- (no#), built 1854, about 139 x 29 by this name is reported in news gest her hull may have been towed x 10 ft., 331.43 gt. BOM accounts to have gone ashore near in, but she never sailed again. The new schooner Young America Racine. No record of this vessel Brig Theodore W. Maurice: was bound from Chicago to Oswego exists in any other news account, (no#), built 1831, 52.3 x 17.10 x on September 23, 1855 with corn vessel list or government document, 5.2 ft., 45.54 gt. BOM when she was run down by the but numerous news accounts report- On August 30, 1850 the brig T.W. schooner Black Hawk about twenty ed the wreck in specific detail. It Maurice became waterlogged off miles off Racine. She went down in may have been a small locally built Ahnapee while bound to Chicago deep water, her mastheads not even vessel. with oak planks. She was driven being visible below the surface, a Schooner Black Hawk: (no#), south and fetched up off Wind Point, total loss. A brig of the same name built 1832, 60.0 x 17.2 x 5.85 ft., where she broke up completely. Her was built in 1853 at Buffalo and is 51.30 gt. BOM cargo was scattered down the beach often confused with this schooner. This wreck has never been found. The schooner Black Hawk stranded all the way to Racine. at Racine on October 10, 1847, but Schooner Dean Richmond: (no#), built 1855, about 140 ft., 1872 Racine Harbor Piers Woodcut - Brendon Baillod Collection 362.73 gt. BOM Another big, new schooner, the Dean Richmond was lost only three weeks after her launch when she went on the rocks five miles north of Racine on October 21, 1855 with a cargo of coal and lumber, bound for Chicago. Her bow was high out of the water and her stern submerged, but she could not be pulled free and broke up over the winter. Another schooner of the same name was launched the following year. This site probably March 2008 Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage 7 has extant remains but has yet to be ages were placed at only $300. She She was abandoned in place in located. disappears from news accounts and November and was sold at auction Schooner Temperance: (no#), enrollments after this accident. before she broke up completely on built 1847, 108.6 x 22.4 x 7 ft., Scow Schooner Rocky Mountain: December 30. Another bark Colorado 156.57 gt. BOM (no#), built 1852, 76.5 x 23.5 x was built the next year. This wreck may have extant remains but has This schooner was under tow by the 6.25 ft., 123.47 gt. BOM never been found. tug McQueen with a lumber cargo This scow schooner was driven when she broke free in a gale and ashore with a lumber cargo a few Schooner Mary S. Scott: (no#), drove ashore a few miles north of miles north of Racine during a storm built 1856, 135.8 x 25.11 x 11 ft., Racine on April 1, 1857. She was a on October 21, 1857. She was a total 358.58 gt. BOM total loss at $3000. loss at $3200. The M.S. Scott was driven aground Schooner Peter Doling: (no#), Schooner William Foster: (no#), at Racine with a cargo of 7000 built 1848, 78.6 x 14.6 x 5.8 ft., built 1842, 47.1 x 14.5 x 5.4 ft., bushels of wheat on September 20, 60.57 gt. BOM 30.07 gt. BOM 1866 while bound from Chicago to Buffalo. Part of her wheat cargo was This schooner went ashore on In June 1858 this little schooner was removed but the ship was abandoned the point just south of the Racine reported capsized with the loss of where she lie. The exact location of Lighthouse with a cargo of lumber two lives ten miles off Racine and her stranding is not known but her and fruit, on September 11, 1857. later towed in to the harbor. She dis- remains are likely still present. She was pulled free but sank in the appears from enrollments and news harbor where she was abandoned. accounts after this accident, but Bark Great West: (#10149), built 1854, 175 x 34 x 15 ft., Schooner Henry Clay: (no#), several sources place the mishap at 554.87 gt. built 1842, 73.25 x 15.5 x 5.75 ft., Chicago and not at Racine. 59.40 gt. BOM Bark Colorado: (no#), built On October 10, 1866 the big, three- masted bark Great West was bound The schooner Henry Clay was driven 1857, 147.9 x 30.5 x 12.1 ft., for Chicago with 800 tons of coal ashore about seven miles north of 503.44 gt. BOM when she struck Racine Reef, holing Racine in a storm on October 15, The big three-masted bark Colorado herself badly. She was run ashore 1857. She reportedly broke up as a went on the reef off Wind Point on south of Racine to prevent her from total loss, although insurance dam- October 28, 1863 with a coal cargo. foundering. She was stripped and abandoned to the elements where she 1870s Racine Harbor Photo - Brendon Baillod Collection lay. She probably has extant remains but she has yet to be located. Propeller F.W. Backus: (no#), built 1846 as the Earl Carthcart, 133 x 25 x 9.4 ft., 289.78 gt. BOM On November 25, 1866 the steamer F.W. Backus was bound from Kenosha to Racine with passengers and livestock when she was found to be on fire. She was run into the shallows just south of Racine where she burned to the water’s edge. It is probable that a significant portion of the wreck remains and could be located.

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on October 4, 1870, but foundered settled onto the reef. Although ini- Racine County about 20 miles off Racine. Eight of tially thought salvageable, she was Shipwrecks her crew were rescued by the schoo- given up as a loss by the 13th and ner George Steele. She probably lies stripped. By November 1, the vessel continued from page 7 in very deep water. had started breaking up. She had Propeller Lac La Belle: been insured for $100,000 and was Schooner H.L. Whitman: (#15803), built 1864, 218 x 36 x the worst loss of the season. In the (#11187), built 1856, 120.9 x 12 ft., 1187.19 gt. summer of 1877, Knapp and Gillen 24.9 x 10.3 ft., 208.43 gt. removed her engines and significant The steamer Lac La Belle sprang a The schooner H.L. Whitman was scrap, and by 1880 she was no lon- leak and foundered in heavy seas bound for Chicago on October 11, ger visible above the waterline. In en route from Milwaukee to Grand 1869 with a lumber cargo when the ensuing years, she was dynamit- Haven with a grain cargo on October she struck a rock off Racine’s North ed and salvaged by various groups. 13, 1872. She had left Milwaukee Point and immediately sank. She She was all but forgotten until some at 9 pm and began leaking about was abandoned where she lay and of her remains were found on the midnight when 25 miles off Racine. has not been located. reef during the 1990s. Only minor About that time, she shipped a structural components of the vessel Scow Schooner Flora Temple: heavy sea, which put out her boiler remain and are widely scattered. (#9302), built 1866, about 30 ft., fires and she was driven before the 6.5 gt. gale which was out of the north. Schooner Whirlwind: (#26226), built 1848, 99.9 x 21.1 x 8.0 ft., The little scow schooner Flora About 5 am, the ship was aban- 111.45 gt. Temple was driven ashore nine miles doned, with lifeboats making shore north of Racine by a sudden squall about 6 miles south of Racine 12 The Whirlwind was bound for and totally wrecked on July 26, hours later. Eight crew died when Chicago with 100,000 ft of lumber 1870. She is one of the smallest reg- one of the lifeboats capsized. The when she was driven into the shal- istered commercial vessels known to Lac La Belle had been a passenger lows near Racine and stranded on have wrecked in Wisconsin waters. steamer but was rebuilt as a bulk September 9, 1876. Captain Henry carrier. She has never been located Wilson ordered the yawl launched Schooner Anna Henry: (#1801), and is thought to lie in deep water. and the men made it to shore. The built 1867, 214 gt. Propeller Merchant: (#16332), vessel reportedly wrecked off a The Anna Henry departed Chicago large ravine just south of Senator for Hamilton, Ontario with a load of built 1862, 200.0 x 29.0 x 14.0 ft., 1009 gt. Doolittle’s residence. It should pig iron, but was found to be leaking be possible to locate the vessel’s The Merchant was the first iron pro- off Little Sable Point. She was run to remains. Racine, repaired and set out again peller on the Lakes and is one of the most historic Schooner Dolphin: (#6132), Original photographic image of prop Merchant on Lake Erie vessels lost built 1854, 91.2 x 22.9 x 7.8 ft., c. 1864—C. Patrick Labadie Collection in Wisconsin 154.27 gt. waters. On The schooner Dolphin lost at Racine October 6, was one of three vessels of that 1875 she name active in 1876. She was blundered driven ashore at Racine during a onto Racine gale on September 7, 1876 and her Reef with a last enrollment was surrendered at large cargo Chicago on September 30 as a total of bulk corn, loss. barreled flour Scow Schooner Home: and flax. She (#42215), built 1867, 84.9 x 23.2 stranded in x 6.3 ft., 91.77 gt. about 13 ft of On November 13, 1876 the scow water where schooner Home was bound for she holed Chicago with lumber when her steer- her hull and ing gear broke. She was driven March 2008 Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage 9 ashore near the Racine Lighthouse The scow schooner Eagle was try- She was a total loss of $700. pier. Her cargo was salvaged but she ing to enter the harbor on March 28, Schooner Persia: (#19672), proved a total loss. 1878 with 20 cords of wood when built 1855, 95.5 x 21.1 x 6.8 ft., Schooner Grace Channon: she missed the pier and was thrown 96.69 gt. against the pier at the end of Second (#85309) built 1873, 141 x 26 x The old schooner Persia stranded 3 Street. Her crew escaped but she was 12 ft., 265.99 gt. miles north of Wind Point on June 2, smashed to pieces. The schooner Grace Channon was 1892 while bound from Menominee, bound from Buffalo to Chicago on Yacht Undine: (no#), a large MI to Racine with a lumber cargo. August 2, 1877 with 600 tons of locally built steam yacht The crew reached shore in their coal when she was struck by the On April 16, 1881 a spring flood of yawl, but the ship broke up rapidly, propeller Favorite north of Racine. the Root River swept the schooner scattering lumber down the beach She sank immediately, taking the Belle and scow Frost down the river where area farmers scavenged it. owner’s 7 year old son with her. Her and into the yacht Undine, complete- Her remains were located just off the remains were located in 1985 by ly destroying her. beach by Bob Jaeck in the 1990s. Kent Bellrichard and she is now a Schooner Speed: (#22357), Schooner Evra Fuller: popular divesite in 205 ft of water built 1848, 97.3 x 20.8 x 7.85 ft., (#15956), built 1873 as the Lena Schooner Alice: (#105020), 104.44 gt. Johnson, 132.6 x 26.3 x 9.9 ft., built 1871, 45.0 x 13.7 x 3.9 ft., On April 18, 1883 the venerable old 228.87 gt. 14 gt. schooner Speed stranded on Racine’s The three-masted schooner Evra The little lumber hooker Alice was north beach while bound from Fuller was bound from Menominee, lost with a load of Christmas trees Pentwater, MI to Racine with a cargo MI to Chicago with lumber on for Chicago when she blundered of shingles. She was being towed in October 8, 1893 when she went on onto Wind Point on December 10, by the tug Sill, when the line parted Racine Reef while trying to enter the 1877. She was a total loss. There and she was driven aground on her harbor in a dense fog. She broke in is some question as to the identity side. Her crew were rescued by the two just forward of her deck cabin of this vessel. There were two other USLSS via breeches buoy. Efforts and was a total loss. Her likely small hookers named Alice active on to free her failed and she had com- remains have been located 450 ft. Lake Michigan at the time. pletely broken up within a week. east of the Racine Harbor entrance Scow Schooner Eagle: Schooner Elizabeth Jones: and are broken up. (#135158), built 1870, 71.6 x (#8193), built 1867, 184 x 23 x Propeller Thomas H. Smith: 19.4 x 4.2 ft., 40 gt. 13 ft., 636.47 gt. (#145284), built 1881, 130.5 x 27.6 x 11.1 ft., 281.11 gt. Lac La Belle at Milwaukee c. 1868— The big schooner Elizabeth Jones C. Patrick Labadie Collection stranded on the south side of On November 10, 1893 the steamer Racine Reef while bound from Thomas H. Smith was bound from Chicago to Buffalo with corn on Chicago to Menominee, MI in heavy November 11, 1883. Her bottom was fog for a lumber cargo when she badly damaged and she could not was nearly cut in two by the steamer be refloated. Her cargo was partially Arthur Orr. She sank immediately, salvaged and she was allowed to her crew jumping onto the Orr. As break up over the winter. Her hull- the Smith settled, water hit her boil- bed has reportedly been located by er and it exploded, further destroy- divers but the identification has not ing the ship. Reports place the disas- been confirmed. ter between 4 and 5 miles off Wind Scow Schooner Laura Johnson: Point, but despite intensive searches, (#140527), built 1882, 50 ft., the Smith’s remains have never been 34.23 gt. found. The little gravel scow Laura Johnson was loading gravel off Racine’s North Point on July 17, 1890 when a storm blew up and drove her ashore. continued on page 10 10 Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage March 2008

fetching up on the beach near Racine pletely blocked the river. Her cargo Racine County College, where she broke up. was removed by divers and her hull Shipwrecks Schooner Sunrise: (#22349), was towed out and beached outside the harbor. continued from page 9 built 1862 as a bark, 159.0 x 30.5 x 12.41 ft., 439.33 gt. Schooner John Eggers: (#76714), built 1887, 58.7 x 14.0 Schooner Kate Kelly: (#14031), The big, three-masted schooner x 3.4 ft., 25 gt. built 1867, 126.3 x 25.8 x 10.4 ft., Sunrise was running in ballast in 280.93 gt. heavy fog bound from Chicago for The little gravel scow John Eggers the Straits on May 21, 1896 when was collecting gravel off Wind Point The three-masted schooner Kate she fouled a towline between the on May 26, 1906 when she was Kelly struck Racine Reef on May 13, steamer William H. Gratwick and driven ashore and was a total loss. 1895 while bound from Sheboygan her consort, whaleback barge 133. to Chicago with a load of hemlock Gas Yacht Scorpion: (#116447), The barge struck the Sunrise taking railroad ties. She foundered shortly built 1891 as a sail yacht, 35.3 x off 15 ft of her bow and sending her after striking the reef in 50 ft of 12.0 x 4.7 ft., 10 gt. directly to the bottom about midlake water, taking her crew with her. The The yacht Scorpion was sunk and off Racine. Her 8 crew escaped. wreck was located by Dan Johnson abandoned at Racine on September in 1983 is a popular dive site. Barge A: (#30189), built 1895, 11, 1912. The accident location is 135.2 x 35.0 x 9.5 ft., 410 gt. Schooner George Barber: still unknown but may have been in (#10191), built 1857, 92.5 x 24.1 The barge A sank in the river at the river. x 7.95 ft., 98.71 gt. Racine on May 15, 1900 with 150 Steamer William Rudolph: cords of stone on board, just east On March 1, 1895 the schooner (#80762), built 1880, 145 x 23.5 of the Main Street Bridge. The tug George Barber sank in the river at x 9.0 ft., 267.89 gt. Sydney Smith tore out her side and Racine and was pumped out, towed The wooden steambarge William bow trying to move her as she com- out into the Lake and cast adrift, Rudolph had outlived her usefulness

1883 Racine Birdseye Detail - Library of Congress March 2008 Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage 11 and was abandoned in the surf near Schooner Homer Ramsdell Schooner Mount Vernon Racine as shore protection from ero- (b.1853) The Ramsdell was driven (#17745) The schooner Mount sion on October 23, 1913. against Waterman’s Pier at Racine Vernon was abandoned in the spring Vessels wrecked at Racine but on May 10,1855 and declared a total of 1893 in the river above the Mead loss. She was repaired and lost in St. Bridge where she lay for many salvaged or removed. October of 1856 off Manitou Island. years. Her remains are thought to Schooner Wave (b.1835) This have been removed in the 1930s. schooner is commonly reported lost Sloop North Star (#18165) at Racine in April of 1844. She did Driven high on the beach at Racine Scow Schooner Dreadnaught strand at Racine, but was released in November 1871 and reported a (#35270) A confused report exists and lost a few weeks later sev- total loss, she was pulled free in the of the big schooner Dreadnaught eral miles off the Kalamazoo River spring by the tug American Eagle. (#6130) having wrecked off Racine mouth across the Lake. Schooner Enterprise (#7296) in December 1893. Dreadnaught 6130 was actually abandoned at Schooner Chas Howard (b.1845) On June 8, 1874, the schooner Cleveland in 1879. The smaller The Chas Howard was ashore and Enterprise stranded off Racine and scow schooner Dreadnaught 35270, declared a total loss by going ashore capsized while under tow to the har- waterlogged off Milwaukee in at Racine on September 9, 1850, but bor. She was declared a total loss, December 1893 and drifted across was later released and repaired. She but was towed inside the harbor. She the Lake to Saugatuck, where she was lost at Chicago in December of was listed in the merchant vessel came ashore. She was seen off 1856. lists until 1878. Racine. Schooner A.H. Newbold Schooner Capella (#4578) This Schooner H. Rand (#11185) This (b.1848) The Newbold appears in schooner stranded four miles north schooner capsized off Manitowoc many reports as lost at Racine in of Racine Harbor on May 9, 1883 while bound from Coyne, MI to December of 1848. However, she and was declared a total loss, but Milwaukee with lumber on May 24, was recovered and later lost at she was towed up the river above 1901. The captain, his daughter Buffalo, NY in November 1852. the Mead St. Bridge where she was abandoned after attempts to haul her and two crew perished, and the ship Schooner Flying Cloud (b.1852) out for rebuild failed. floated as a derelict before fetching The Flying Cloud capsized off Racine up on Racine Reef. She was then Schooner Commerce (#4363) On on September 20, 1853 and was towed to the beach at the foot of November 6, 1887, the Commerce believed lost until the schooner New Texas Ave in Milwaukee where she was badly holed on Racine Reef. She Hampshire found her and towed her was dynamited. into Muskegon nearly three weeks was initially reported a total loss, but Schooner Caledonia (#4384) later. was towed to Racine and repaired. She was lost in 1909 off Sheboygan. The Caledonia is reported in many sources to have been abandoned in the Root Rover in September 1901. Painting of Thomas H. Smith - Door County Maritime Museum However, she was sold and foundered off Glen Haven, MI with a load of Christmas trees on November 27, 1901. Schooner J.V. Taylor (#13874) The J.V. Taylor was abandoned in 1915 above the Mead Street Bridge. Her remains were likely removed in the 1930s. Wisconsin Underwater Archeological Association P.O. Box 6081 Madison, WI 53716

For those interested in the study and preservation of Wisconsin’s underwater history and cultural resources.

Coming Events March 7-8, 2008 Ghost Ships Festival. Milwaukee. Films, seminars and presentations about great Lakes Shipwrecks. Sponsored by Great Lakes Shipwreck Research Foundation. For information check their web site at www.ghost-ships.org. March 8, 2008 WUAA Underwater Survey Workshop. Milwaukee, during the Ghost Ships Festival. For information check our web site at www.wuaa.org. April 12, 2008 Wisconsin Underwater Archeology Association Action Committee Meeting. 10:00 am at Brendon’s in Marshall. For information check the WUAA web site at www.wuaa.org or email [email protected]. May 17-18, 2008 Lighthouse Walk. Door County. For information check the Door County Maritime Museum web site at www.dcmm.org.