Identification & Site Information

• Name: EQUINOX
• Other Names: None reported
• Official Number: 7232
• Date Built and Launched: 1857
• Builder: Frederick Nelson Jones, Buffalo, New York
• Original Owner: New York Central Railroad Co., Batavia, NY (Dean Richmond, President)
• Later Owner: Western Transit Co.
• Vessel Type: Propeller-driven Steamship
• Hull Materials: Wood
• Power:
• Engine Type: Oscillating steam engine
• horsepower: 448 hp
• Measurements:
• Length: 184 ft (56.08 m)
• Beam: 31 ft (9.45 m)
• Depth: 11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
• Tonnage (Old Style): 620 65/95 tons (later increased to 870.51 gross tons in 1869 and 875.51 tons in 1872)

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Vessel Type

The EQUINOX was a wooden-hulled, screw-propelled Steamer, built for freight and passenger transport on the Great Lakes. It was one of a series of sister ships, including the ECLIPSE, EQUATOR, and SUN, constructed for New York Central Railroad Co. to move goods and passengers between Buffalo, Toledo, Chicago, and Milwaukee.

Designed for bulk cargo transport, the EQUINOX primarily hauled salt, lumber, and general freight, though it was sometimes paired with schooners for additional capacity.

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History

The EQUINOX had a busy and eventful career, operating across Lake Erie, Lake Huron, and Lake Michigan. Despite multiple groundings, collisions, and repairs, it remained operational for 18 years before its tragic loss in 1875.

Key Events in the Vessel’s History:

• 1857, May 12: The EQUINOX was enrolled in Buffalo, NY, and began operating on the Sandusky Line.
• 1860: Operated on the Buffalo-Cleveland-Sandusky-Toledo route.
• 1863: Assigned to the Lake Erie & Green Bay Line.
• 1864: Ran Buffalo-Toledo, later extending to Chicago, Milwaukee, and Buffalo.
• 1866:
• Acquired by Buffalo & Toledo Transportation Co.
• Completed two round trips between Buffalo, NY, and Marquette, MI.
• August: Aground at Mud Lake, but later refloated.
• September: Damaged in a collision with the Schooner DARIEN at Cleveland, OH.
• 1867, May: Purchased by Union Steamboat Co. and assigned to the Buffalo-Chicago route, often paired with the Schooner GUIDING STAR.
• 1869, May 7: Purchased by Stephen D. Caldwell, Buffalo, remaining under Union Steamboat Co..
• 1869, May 18: Collided with the propeller TONAWANDA off Point au Pelee, sustaining damage.
• 1870, October 28:
• Sank in a collision with the Bark LAFRINIER in the St. Clair River while carrying 3,500 pounds of salt and 1.5 million shingles.
• October 31: The vessel was raised and taken to dry dock in Detroit for repairs.
• 1871: Officially remeasured to 870 gross tons.
• 1872:
• April 19: Purchased by Dwight D. Scott, Cleveland, OH, tonnage revised to 875.51 tons.
• Completed 9 round trips to Lake Superior.
• October 10: Grounded at South Manitou Island but was successfully pulled off by the Steamer CITY OF FREMONT.
• 1873: Underwent a major Rebuild, measuring 184 x 30.8 x 10.7 ft.
• 1875:
• Chartered for the season by Grand Trunk Railway to run between Chicago and Sarnia, Ontario.

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Final Disposition

On September 10, 1875, the EQUINOX was loaded with 6,708 barrels of salt and traveling on Lake Michigan when it Foundered and sank 8 miles off Big Sable Point.

Casualties and Rescue:

• 25 lives lost, making it one of the deadliest shipwrecks on Lake Michigan at the time.
• Only one survivor was rescued two days later, underscoring the tragic loss of the vessel and its crew.

The cause of the sinking is uncertain, but potential explanations include:

• Severe weather conditions
• Hull failure (as wooden vessels often became structurally weak after years of operation)
• Overloading of cargo

After the sinking, the vessel’s documents were officially surrendered on January 31, 1882, at Port Huron, Michigan.

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Located By & Date Found

Nil return. There are no confirmed reports of the EQUINOX‘s wreck being located or explored. Given its deep-water sinking location, the wreck may remain undiscovered.

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NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return. No navigational hazards related to this wreck are reported near Big Sable Point, Lake Michigan.

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Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File
• Edward J. Dowling Collection, University of Detroit Mercy
• H.G. Runge Collection, Milwaukee Public Library
• Beers, History of the Great Lakes
• Steamboat Era in the Muskokas by Richard Tatley

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Conclusion

The EQUINOX was a typical example of a 19th-century wooden Propeller Steamer, operating in freight transport across the Great Lakes for nearly two decades. Its numerous collisions, groundings, and mechanical issues reflect the hazards of maritime transport at the time, when ships faced constant risks due to crowded waterways, unpredictable weather, and aging wooden hulls.

Despite multiple rebuilds and ownership changes, the vessel remained a valuable cargo carrier until its tragic loss in 1875, marking the end of a long and troubled career.

If you’re interested in learning more about shipwrecks near Big Sable Point, other Grand Trunk Railway vessels, or the sister ships of the EQUINOX (ECLIPSE, EQUATOR, SUN), let me know!