IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION

• Name: CHATTANOOGA

• Type: Wooden Schooner-Barge

• Builder: James Davidson, West Bay City, Michigan

• Year Built: 1898

• Dimensions:

• Length: 308 feet (94 meters)

• Beam: 45 feet (13.7 meters)

• Depth: 21.5 feet (6.6 meters)

• Tonnage:

• Gross: 2339 tons

• Net: 2266 tons

• Official Number: 127255

• Service Area: Great Lakes

• Final Resting Place: Near Great Duck Island, Lake Huron

VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION

The CHATTANOOGA was a Schooner-Barge, a vessel type frequently used on the Great Lakes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These barges were designed to carry heavy bulk cargoes such as lumber, coal, or stone and were typically towed by larger steamers. Built by renowned shipbuilder James Davidson, the CHATTANOOGA was part of the evolution of massive wooden vessels that pushed the limits of size and capacity in the era before steel-hulled ships dominated the lakes.

HISTORY

Construction and Service

The CHATTANOOGA was launched in 1898 as one of the largest wooden Schooner-barges of her time. Built in West Bay City, Michigan, by James Davidson, a pioneer of large wooden vessel construction, she exemplified the peak of wooden shipbuilding on the Great Lakes. The vessel was primarily used to transport bulk cargoes, capitalizing on its immense size and capacity.

The Wreck of 1925

In the fall of 1925, the CHATTANOOGA was caught in a violent storm on Lake Erie. The exact circumstances of her wreck remain unclear, and no specific details about the loss of life or cargo during the incident are documented. Following the storm, the vessel was declared Abandoned.

Salvage and Repurposing Attempt

In 1926, Canadian wrecker Tom Reid of Sarnia, Ontario, acquired the wrecked CHATTANOOGA. Reid refloated the vessel in the spring of the following year, intending to repurpose her as a stone dock near the Duck Islands in Lake Huron. However, no further repairs were undertaken, and the vessel was ultimately left Abandoned in the area near Great Duck Island.

FINAL DISPOSITION

The CHATTANOOGA now lies Abandoned near Great Duck Island in Lake Huron. The wreck has not been extensively documented or explored, leaving the current condition of the remains largely unknown. The vessel’s final chapter underscores the decline of large wooden Schooner-barges as steel-hulled ships came to dominate the Great Lakes shipping industry.

NOTMARs & ADVISORIES

There are no active Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) regarding the CHATTANOOGA’s wreckage near Great Duck Island. However, the wreck’s presence near the island may pose minor hazards to small craft navigation.

RESOURCES & LINKS

• David Swayze Shipwreck File

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes

• Bowling Green State University Ships Database

• Great Lakes Ships Database

CONCLUSION

The CHATTANOOGA’s story is emblematic of the challenges faced by large wooden vessels on the Great Lakes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Built at the height of wooden shipbuilding by James Davidson, the CHATTANOOGA served faithfully until her wreck in 1925. Her attempted repurposing into a stone dock reflects the ingenuity of salvage efforts during that era. Today, the vessel’s abandonment near Great Duck Island stands as a quiet reminder of the legacy of wooden Schooner-barges on the Great Lakes.

KEYWORDS

CHATTANOOGA Schooner-Barge, James Davidson ships, Great Lakes shipwrecks, Lake Erie wrecks, Lake Huron Abandoned vessels, Duck Islands maritime history, Great Duck Island wreck, wooden Barge history.

• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Bowling Green State University
• Great Lakes Ships