Identification & Site Information

• Name: HELEN TAYLOR
• Official Number: 96270
• Type at Loss: Propeller, Wood, Bulk Freight “Steambarge”
• Year Built: 1894
• Builder: Unknown (constructed in Grand Haven, Michigan)
• Specifications:  Length: 56 ft (17.07 m)  Beam: 30 ft (9.14 m)  Depth: 4 ft (1.22 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 43 tons
• Net Tonnage: 33 tons
• Date of Loss: January 1, 1930
• Place of Loss: 8 miles off Michigan City, Indiana
• Lake: Michigan
• Type of Loss: Storm (Foundered)
• Loss of Life: Uncertain (records do not specify)
• Cargo at Time of Loss: Unknown

Vessel Type

The HELEN TAYLOR was classified as a steambarge, a type of bulk freight vessel common on the Great Lakes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Despite her small size compared to larger lake freighters, her design allowed her to handle various cargoes, likely serving in regional trade along Lake Michigan. Interestingly, she was nicknamed the “Pumpkin Seed” due to her unusually shaped Hull, which likely featured a broad, flat-bottomed design for shallow Draft operations.

Built in 1894 in Grand Haven, Michigan, the HELEN TAYLOR served for over three decades in the challenging conditions of the Great Lakes. Her compact dimensions suggest she operated primarily as a coastal vessel, transporting bulk materials such as lumber, stone, or other regional commodities between small ports.

HELEN TAYLOR experienced a series of maritime incidents

• In October 1919, she caught fire near Hessel, Michigan, and was declared a Total Loss. The severity of the damage led to the surrender of her official documentation. Surprisingly, she was later raised and Rebuilt by an amateur salvager, a testament to the vessel’s resilience and the resourcefulness of early 20th-century maritime operators.
•  In 1923, she Foundered off St. Helena Island during a storm but was again salvaged and returned to service, reflecting both her durable construction and the economic value of even modest lake vessels during that era.

Final Disposition

On January 1, 1930, the HELEN TAYLOR met her final fate when she Foundered in a storm approximately 8 miles off the coast of Michigan City, Indiana. Unfortunately, specific details about the circumstances of the sinking, including the crew’s fate and the cargo she was carrying, remain undocumented. Given her history of recovery after previous disasters, it is notable that this time, no attempts were made—or were perhaps unsuccessful—to salvage her.

Resources & Links

• Maritime Vessel Registers (MV)
• Early American Shipwreck Reports (EAS)
• Shipwrecks of the Great Lakes (SLH)
• Inland Seas Journal (IS)
• Lake Michigan Diving Coalition (LMDC)
• Maritime Photo Library (MPL)

Conclusion

The HELEN TAYLOR was a workhorse of the Great Lakes, surviving fires, sinkings, and storms throughout her career. Her repeated recoveries and rebuilds are a testament to the rugged determination of Great Lakes mariners and salvagers. Nicknamed the “Pumpkin Seed” for her distinctive Hull, she reflects the diversity of vessel designs that populated the Great Lakes during the era of wooden steam-powered freighters. Her final loss in 1930 marked the end of a vessel that had defied the odds more than once, embodying both the peril and perseverance characteristic of Great Lakes maritime history.