Shipwreck Report: Lake Erie (1881)

Identification & Site Information

• Name: Lake Erie
• Former Names: None
• Year Built: 1873
• Official Number: (Not Listed)
• Type at Loss: Wooden Package Freighter
• Builder: Melancthon Simpson, St. Catharines, Ontario
• Original Owner: Lake & River Steam Ship Co., Hamilton, Ontario
• Measurements: 136 ft (41.5 m) length, 23.4 ft (7.1 m) beam, 7.4 ft (2.3 m) depth
• Tonnage: 729 gross tons, 464 net tons
• Date Lost: November 24, 1881
• Place of Loss: Near Poverty Island, at the mouth of Green Bay, Lake Michigan

Vessel Type

Wooden Package Freighter

Description

The Lake Erie was a wooden-hulled package freighter, one of three sister ships, along with LAKE ONTARIO and LAKE MICHIGAN, built in St. Catharines, Ontario, in 1873 for the Lake & River Steam Ship Co. of Hamilton, Ontario. The vessel was powered by a single screw propeller, driven by an 80-horsepower steam engine built by Thomas Wilson & Co. of Dundas, Ontario. She was designed to transport general cargo and passengers, operating between Montreal, Chicago, Toronto, and St. Catharines.

In 1880, she was lengthened, increasing her cargo capacity, but this also affected her stability, which may have played a role in her loss.

Final Voyage & Loss

On November 24, 1881, while navigating Lake Michigan near Poverty Island, Lake Erie was caught in a heavy blizzard with thick fog.

Amid the poor Visibility, she collided with the Propeller Steamer NORTHERN QUEEN. The impact was severe, causing Lake Erie to take on water quickly and sink.

• No known loss of life was reported in contemporary sources.
• The wreck was later salvaged, but she never returned to service.
• She was removed from shipping records, suggesting she was either scrapped or Abandoned after recovery.

Final Disposition

Sank after a collision with NORTHERN QUEEN in a blizzard near Poverty Island, Lake Michigan, on November 24, 1881.

• Reportedly salvaged but never reentered service
• No confirmed loss of life

Located By & Date Found

Nil—there are no confirmed reports of Lake Erie‘s wreck being located, though some records suggest she was raised after the accident.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil—no known navigational advisories related to the wreck site.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Conclusion

The Lake Erie was a typical wooden package freighter of the late 19th century, serving for nearly a decade before meeting her fate in a fog-bound collision with NORTHERN QUEEN.

Despite being salvaged, she was never returned to active service, leaving her final fate unclear.

Whether her remains still exist in Lake Michigan near Poverty Island remains an open question for maritime historians and wreck divers.

Keywords, Categories, and Glossary Terms

• Keywords: Lake Erie shipwreck, Lake Michigan freighter loss, Poverty Island collision, Canadian Great Lakes Ships, package freighter wrecks
• Categories: Lake Michigan Shipwrecks, Collision-Related Shipwrecks, Package Freighter Losses, Salvaged Shipwrecks, 19th-Century Maritime Disasters
• Glossary Terms:
• Package Freighter: A Great Lakes vessel built to transport general cargo and passengers.
• Collision Loss: A shipwreck caused by two vessels striking each other, often due to fog, miscommunication, or poor Visibility.
• Poverty Island: A treacherous area at the mouth of Green Bay in Lake Michigan, known for frequent shipwrecks and hazardous conditions.