Fathoms Deep but Not Forgotten: Wisconsin’s Lost Shipwreck Sites

Fathoms Deep but Not Forgotten: Wisconsin’s Lost Shipwreck Sites

Part I: Kenosha’s Undiscovered Shipwrecks

Brendon Baillod

This article is the first installment in a series of articles exploring Wisconsin’s undiscovered maritime archeology sites. The intent of these articles is to provide a directory of undiscovered vessel remains that might potentially lie in Wisconsin waters. Although Wisconsin has hosted well over 1000 total losses to commercial vessels, only a small percentage of those are believed to have well preserved, identifiable remains. The vast majority of Wisconsin’s historic shipwrecks occurred to vessels which stranded on beaches and were subsequently dismantled, burned, buried or otherwise destroyed. Still, a substantial number of Wisconsin’s historic shipwrecks with a high probability of preservation remain to be located.

Because the vessels addressed in this series have not been located, there is a bit of conjecture involved in assigning them to a geographic area. Indeed, many vessels in this list, may not lie in Wisconsin waters at all, but are generally believed to be so based on news accounts of the day. Likewise, it is possible that a small number of these vessels were salvaged without any news mention. It should also be noted that some of these sites may in fact, have already been located by divers, beachcombers and property owners who did not report the discovery.

The first area I will examine is the coastline of Lake Michigan comprised by Kenosha County. This area of Wisconsin hosts a large number of potential sites per square mile due to its location between the two major shipping centers of Milwaukee and Chicago. A tremendous volume of 19^th century vessel traffic passed through this area, leaving a rich array of historic vessel remains.

The area off Kenosha has been searched with sidescan sonar by a number of wreck hunters over the years, but few area wreck sites have been located. A few area wrecks are now popular dive sites, including the steamer Wisconsin and yacht Rosinco. Shallow remains have been located that are attributed to the historic steamer Detroit, the schooner T.P. Handy as well as a handful of others, and at least two schooner hull beds were reportedly removed during harbor improvements in the 20^th century.

The data presented here is the result of original research using a multitude of primary sources and is drawn from the author’s database of Wisconsin wreck sites, which was prepared over the course of 20 years of research. The most frequently cited primary sources are period Wisconsin newspaper microfilms, but much detail was also drawn from customs house wreck reports, US Lifesaving Service reports, Lake insurance records, the Annual List of Merchant Vessels of the United States and various period marine directories and accident lists. In the interest of space I have omitted specific references but I will be happy to make them available to interested researchers.

Kenosha’s Undiscovered Shipwrecks

Sidewheel Steamer Detroit (none) – Built 1833 - 125.6 x 17.6 x 6.6 ft. – 137.66 gt. - Driven ashore and abandoned at Southport on October 25, 1837 while bound from Chicago to Milwaukee. She is believed to have stranded just north of the present harbor mouth. Remains attributed to her were unearthed by construction on Simmons Island in 1995.

Schooner Baltic (none) – Built 1842 - 80.4 x 19.8 x 6.9 ft. – 96.04 gt. – The schooner Baltic was bound for Chicago in ballast on May 19^th, 1852 when she was blown down midway between Kenosha and Waukegan. The schooner Elbe tried to rescue her 7 crew to no avail. She was last seen stern up, floating about 7 miles off Southport (now Kenosha).

Schooner Lamira (none) – Built 1851 - 68.0 x 21.2 x 7.0 ft. - 89.67 gt. – Bound for Chicago with lumber, she was driven ashore at Kenosha on December 30, 1852 while trying to enter the harbor and broke up.

Sloop Lady Ann (none) – Built 1849 - 48 x 17 x 5.7 ft. - 30.37 gt. – The little sloop Lady Ann was driven ashore on a sandbar on the north side of the harbor entrance at Kenosha on September 18, 1855 due to the entrance light being out. Her crew were able to jump onto the pier but she was reportedly left to break up just off the north pier.

Schooner George Hanson (none) – Built 1851 - 53.0 x 14.9 x 5.5 ft. – 37.81 gt. – The George Hanson was a small coastal schooner that was lost on March 30, 1857 after leaving Racine with a cargo of wood and most of the Nichols family who owned her. Her mastheads were later found breaking the surface a few miles off shore near Kenosha. This vessel has not been located but is probably fairly skeletal due to her shallow depth and age.

Schooner Arkansas (none) – built 1849 - 107 x 23.9 x 9.9 ft. - 240.43 gt. – The schooner Arkansas was lost in June of 1858 when she missed the harbor entrance at Kenosha, grounding on the bar on the north side of the piers. She broke up and became a total loss but her lumber cargo was saved.

Schooner T.P. Handy (none) – Built 1849 - 116.10 x 23.11 x 9.1 ft. – 234.41 gt. – Went ashore “a few rods” south of the piers at Kenosha on October 14, 1860 when she missed the harbor entrance. She was reportedly in ballast inbound for a cargo of wheat when lost. Remains attributed to her in the 1980s were referred to as the “wagon wheel wreck” because wagon wheels were found amidst the debris. The ID was never confirmed.

Scow Sloop Coquette (#5057) – Built 1858 - 87.8 x 20.0 x 9.0 ft. - 95.91 gt. – The sloop Coquette capsized and foundered on July 17, 1866 while bound for Chicago from Manitowoc with a cargo of pig iron. She reportedly went to the bottom about 30 miles ENE of Kenosha with her 4 crew. She had been a US Survey vessel and had at one time been schooner rigged. She is sometimes confused with a larger Canadian vessel of the same name and thought to lie in deep water.

Schooner Elizabeth (none) – Built 1863 - 40.5 x 12.8 x 4.6 ft. - 20.32 gt. - The little schooner Elizabeth was lost on August 11, 1866 bound Chicago to Kenosha with lumber when she missed the harbor entrance and stranded just north of the piers. Her lumber cargo was removed, but the vessel proved a total loss.

Bark Great West (10149) – Built 1854 – 184.0 x 33.9 x 13.6 ft., 554 gt. – This large three master struck Racine Reef on October 10, 1866 while bound Buffalo to Chicago with coal. She began sinking rapidly and was run ashore north of Kenosha. She was stripped of her outfit and abandoned in the surf. Her substantial hull bed could probably be located offshore.

Schooner M. Courtright (#16393) – Built 1856 - 135.8 x 28.7 x 11.25 ft. - 276.44 gt. – The M. Courtright’s crew abandoned her off Racine on November 7, 1871 when she became waterlogged. The ship was driven ashore 1.5 miles north of Kenosha in badly damaged condition. The revenue cutter Andrew Johnson tried to pull her off to no avail and she was left in the surf.

Schooner C.J. Hutchinson (#4360) – Built 1846 - 136.0 x 26.1 x 10.4 ft. - 341.0 gt. – The C.J. Hutchinson was lost on November 12, 1871 while trying to enter the harbor in ballast. She struck the pier, swung around to the outside of the north pier where the waves broker her keel. She was later dragged into the shallows.

Schooner Jo Vilas (#12767) – Built 1857 - 106.75 x 26.0 x 8.75 ft. – 149 gt. – The Jo Vilas was bound from White Lake, Michigan to Chicago with lumber on October 9, 1876 when she began to break up about midlake. Her crew was taken off her debris by the schooner Andrew Jackson, but the Vilas’ hull went to the bottom. She is believed to lie in deep water well offshore between Kenosha and Racine.

Bark Northwest (#18102) – Built 1862 - 167.65 x 31.0 x 12.7 ft. - 458.54 gt. – The bark Northwest was sunk by collision with the schooner F.L. Danforth on October 24, 1876. The Northwest was bound from Chicago to Buffalo with a cargo of grain when she was struck about 4 AM and sent rapidly to the bottom while off Kenosha. Upon settling, her mastheads were breaking surface. This wreck is believed to lie within sport diving depths somewhere off Kenosha. She has been actively searched for.

Schooner Hans Crocker (#11174) – Built 1856 - 139.0 x 32.75 x 11.5 ft. - 335.03 gt. – The schooner Hans Crocker was lost November 29, 1876 while bound from Sturgeon Bay to Chicago with lumber and shingles. She became waterlogged and tried to enter the harbor at Kenosha, but overshot the piers, driving ashore just south of the entrance. She was badly broken and abandoned in the shallows just off the beach.

Schooner Velocipede (#25848) – Built 1869 - 39.6 x 11.0 x 4.3 ft. - 10.12 gt. – The little schooner Velocipede was lost April 28, 1877 after leaving Racine for Muskegon in ballast. A storm hit and the Velocipede was later found with her side stove in off Kenosha. Her two crew were missing. She was towed in near the Kenosha piers where she sank and was abandoned.

Steamer City of Madison (#4350) – Built 1857 - 144.0 x 26.0 x 11.5 ft. – 487 gt. – The City of Madison was bound light from Chicago to Ludington on August 17, 1877 when she was found to be on fire. Her crew abandoned her in their yawl while the Madison reportedly burned to the water line. She reportedly did not sink for several hours and is commonly reported to have sunk about 35 miles off Kenosha. Her hull has been reported located but the report has not been confirmed.

Schooner Hippogriff (#11143) – Built 1863 - 137.0 x 26.3 x 12.0 ft. - 295.24 gt. – The Hippogriff was lost September 27, 1877 bound Chicago to Buffalo with oats when she collided with the schooner Emma L. Coyne. The captains of the vessels were brothers and were reportedly playing chicken. The Hippogriff sank immediately by the bow. She was reportedly about 20 miles off Kenosha when lost, but one source states she was in 30 fathoms of water.

Scow Schooner Marion Dixon (#16629) – Built 1864 - 88.3 x 20.2 x 4.6 ft. - 68.67 gt. – The Marion Dixon was lost June 14, 1880 when she capsized about 10 miles from shore midway between Racine and Kenosha with a cargo of tan bark. She later came ashore a few miles south of Kenosha where she was abandoned in the shallows.

Schooner Arab (#311) - Built 1854 - 100.0 x 23.9 x 9.4 ft. – 158 gt. – The schooner Arab was lost on November 13, 1883 while being towed from St. Joseph, MI, where she had stranded, to Milwaukee for repairs. She was reportedly about midway between Kenosha and Racine and about 25 miles out then she rolled and sank. Some erroneous reports place her close to shore, but she is believed to lie in very deep water and has not been the subject of any search efforts.

Schooner Edna (#135309) – Built 1877 - 62.1 x 17.2 x 5.2 ft. – 38.32 gt. – The Edna was a small coastal schooner engaged in the gravel trade. She foundered suddenly on October 26, 1887 in calm water bound Chicago to Kenosha. Her crew were rescued from their small yawl by the Kenosha Lifesavers but the Edna was left on the bottom with her masts breaking the surface. The vessel reportedly went down 3 miles from shore just south of the Kenosha Lifesaving Station. The Edna has been reported found but her remains have not yet been identified at this time.

Steamer Solon H. Johnson (#6887) – Built 1875 - 106.5 x 21.5 x 8.1 ft. - 128.78 gt. – The steamer Solon H. Johnson was lost November 24, 1887 while towing a barge loaded with bricks. She fouled the towline in her prop during a storm and drifted ashore 9 miles south of Kenosha, fetching up 600 ft from shore. Much of the brick was tossed overboard and the barge was freed, but the Johnson was abandoned. Her wreck site could be located with a little effort.

Scow Schooner Lenzena (#48566) – Built 1882 - 42.0 x 13.0 x 4.8 ft. - 12.60 gt. – The little scow schooner Lenzena was lost on May 29, 1890 while bound for Chicago with gravel. She stranded in the shallows at Kenosha, but the exact location remains a mystery.

Schooner R.B. Hayes (#110338) – Built 1877 - 177.5 x 34.0 x 14.2 ft. - 668.86 gt. – The Hayes was a large schooner barge being towed by the steamer A.P. Wright from Chicago with lumber when she began to founder a few hours after leaving Chicago on April 20, 1893. The Wright cut both her consorts free and their crews were taken off but the Hayes was seen still afloat several hours later. Her towmate F.L. Danforth was cast ashore at Chicago, but some reports state that the Hayes foundered 15 miles SE of Kenosha. The Hayes is most likely in Illinois waters well off shore and has not been the target of search efforts to date.

Schooner Lem Ellsworth (#140062) – Built 1874 – 138.6 x 26.2 x 11.8 ft. - 340.14 gt. – This big canal schooner was last seen clearing the Straits on May 16, 1894. Her battered yawl was found a few days later midlake off Kenosha. She was hauling sandstone blocks from Jacobsville, MI to Chicago when she went missing. A 1929 Racine newspaper article relates a claim by a man who states he saw the Ellsworth founder several miles off Racine. This wreck has not been specifically searched for as she has a rather large search grid. She could potentially lie anywhere in the Lake, but most accounts place her off Kenosha due to the lifeboat discovery.

Steamer L.R. Doty (#141272) – Built 1893 - 291.0 x 41.0 x 19.8 ft. - 2056.0 gt. – The Doty is one of the largest vessels still missing on the Great Lakes. She vanished in a tremendous gale on October 24, 1898 while towing the barge Olive Jeanette from South Chicago to Midland, Ontario with corn. The Jeanette survived and her captain was the last person to see the Doty. The Doty is generally reported to lie off Kenosha, as that is where her debris was found. However, analysis of her last known position and debris scatter suggest she was lost far offshore, perhaps as far north as Milwaukee. This vessel has not specifically been searched for but at least one wreck hunter claims to have imaged her hull. Rumors of her discovery in shallow water near Kenosha have been reported in the past, but are untrue.

Schooner Idler (none) – Built 1893 – c. 40 ft. – 25 gt. – On November 1, 1905, this yacht stranded 100 ft. off shore at present day Illinois Beach State Park. The Kenosha Lifesavers attempted to release her, but pulled her bow out. She was abandoned where she lay.

Steel Fish Tug Forelle (#205777) – Built 1908 - 54.6 x 15.8 x 7.5 ft., – 46 gt. – The fish tug Forelle went missing on September 20, 1923 bound from Benton Harbor, MI to Milwaukee with a cargo of fruit and 5 crew. She was last seen about midlake. Debris from the wreck was located several miles off Kenosha. The Forelle is has been a search target for decades but has never been reported found. Accounts state that she foundered very near the location where the Rosinco was later lost.

Vessel wrecked at Kenosha but salvaged or removed

Brig Osceola – Went ashore at Southport in November 1843 with a grain cargo, but was recovered and rebuilt at Chicago.

Brig H.H. Sizer – Capsized off Southport June 19, 1846 with the loss of 7 members of the Bevins family. She was recovered and rebuilt.

Schooner E.M. Peck – Capsized off Kenosha, April 13, 1868, towed to Racine but fetch up on the reef. Recovered and rebuilt at Chicago.

Schooner Scottish Chief – Waterlogged north of Kenosha and towed in on August 8, 1871, later towed to Chicago and abandoned.

Scow Schooner Contest – Ashore and wrecked 100 ft. south of the harbor on April 16, 1897, later towed to Milwaukee and abandoned.

Steamer H.A. Root – Steamer’s boiler exploded at Kenosha, September 3, 1907 and she later sank, killing 2 crew. She was rebuilt.

Steamer Charles McVea – Abandoned at Kenosha in 1928, later turned into a floating dry dock. Final disposition unknown.

Tug Cheerio – Sank in ice floes off Kenosha harbor, January 17, 1936 with 3 crew. Later raised and was still in service as of 1999.

Steamer Hoegh Cliff – Steel frighter struck Kenosha north pier in October 1965 tearing 40 ft gash in hull. Cargo of flour was lightered but vessel sank again. She was eventually raised and towed to shipyard for repairs.