Schooner Traveler (1847–1868)

Identification & Site Information

• Name: Traveler
• Other Names: None
• Official Number: 24148
• Vessel Type at Loss: Wooden Schooner
• Builder: DeWolf Shipyard, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Year Built & Launched: 1847
• Specifications:  Length: 87 ft (26.5 m)  Beam: 19 ft (5.8 m) Depth: 7 ft (2.1 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 109 GT
• Net Tonnage: 88 NT
• Date Lost: October 23, 1868
• Location of Loss: 2 miles south of Calumet, Lake Michigan
• Cause of Loss: Storm (drove ashore and broke apart)
• Loss of Life: 4 to 8 (sources vary)
• Cargo at Time of Loss: Lumber

Vessel Description & Service History

The Traveler was a mid-sized wooden Schooner, built in 1847 at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by the DeWolf Shipyard.  Primarily used for lumber transport, sailing between Wisconsin, Michigan, and Chicago.  Owned by M. Canney and D. Lawrence of Chicago, who operated her in the Great Lakes timber trade.  Underwent a major Rebuild in 1861, likely due to wear and tear from years of service. During the mid-19th century, schooners like the Traveler were essential for transporting lumber to growing cities, particularly Chicago, which had a booming construction industry.

Final Voyage & Loss (October 23, 1868)

On October 23, 1868, the Traveler was sailing with a full load of lumber, heading for Chicago.  She was caught in a violent storm on Lake Michigan.  Drove ashore two miles south of Calumet, where powerful waves battered her from the outside, while her own cargo smashed her apart from within.  The Schooner was quickly broken up, and between 4 and 8 crew members lost their lives (reports vary). This tragic event highlights the perils faced by wooden schooners on the Great Lakes, where sudden storms and shifting sandbars often led to disaster.

Final Disposition & Salvage

• Declared a Total Loss due to storm damage.
• No known salvage efforts.
• Wreck remains likely scattered or buried beneath shifting sands near Calumet, Indiana.
• No confirmed modern discovery of the wreck.
• Possible remains may exist offshore or buried along the shoreline.

NOTMARs & Advisories

The southern end of Lake Michigan is notorious for shipwrecks, with many schooners wrecked near Calumet, Indiana, and Chicago due to storms and treacherous sandbars.  Shallow waters and shifting sands have buried many wrecks in this region, making them difficult to locate.  The Traveler was one of many lumber schooners lost to unpredictable Great Lakes storms in the 19th century.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes: http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca
• Great Lakes Maritime Database (GLMD): https://greatlakeships.org
• David Swayze Shipwreck File: https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org
• Great Lakes Vessel Database (BGSU): https://greatlakes.bgsu.edu/vessels

Conclusion

The Traveler was a dedicated lumber Schooner, lost in a powerful storm south of Calumet in 1868. Though some details remain uncertain, the vessel’s tragic loss of up to eight crew members highlights the dangers of 19th-century Great Lakes sailing. Her wreckage remains undiscovered, likely buried beneath Lake Michigan’s shifting sands.