Identification & Site Information

• Name: Weegee
• Former Names: None
• Official Number: 80119
• Date Built and Launched: 1865
• Builder: Unknown, constructed in Cleveland, Ohio
• Measurements: Length: 57 ft (17.37 m) Beam (Width): 13 ft (3.96 m) Depth of Hold: 4 ft (1.22 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 22 tons
• Date Lost: 1877
• Type of Loss: Presumed storm-related (not explicitly confirmed)
• Loss of Life: Unknown
• Cargo at Time of Loss: Unknown

Vessel Type

The Weegee was a small wooden Schooner, a common vessel type on the Great Lakes during the 19th century. Schooners like this were primarily used for transporting light cargo, goods, and occasionally passengers in nearshore and inter-port trade, often operating out of smaller harbors and along coastal routes.

Description

Built in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1865, the Weegee was modest in size, measuring 57 feet in length with a beam of 13 feet and a shallow Draft of 4 feet. Her Gross Tonnage was only 22 tons, indicating she was designed for Lighter freight duties rather than the heavy bulk cargoes carried by larger schooners. This small size made her ideal for navigating shallow waters, rivers, and smaller ports inaccessible to larger vessels.

The Schooner underwent a significant Rebuild in Detroit in 1870, which suggests she either sustained damage or was modified to extend her service life. By 1872, she was operating out of Trenton, Michigan, and later registered from Wenona (now part of Bay City), Michigan, indicating she was active in the bustling commercial trade along Lake Huron and the Saginaw Bay area.

History

The operational history of the Weegee reflects the life of many small Great Lakes schooners of the era—frequently repurposed, Rebuilt, and shifted between ports based on trade demands. Her Rebuild in Detroit in 1870 suggests she was either damaged in service or updated to meet new commercial requirements. Following this, she operated out of Trenton, Michigan, before becoming part of Wenona’s maritime activity, a key lumber shipping hub in the 1870s.

Records indicate that her registration was surrendered in Port Huron on June 30, 1879, annotated with the note “wrecked in 1877.” This suggests the vessel was lost at some point in 1877, although specific details about the circumstances of her loss, including the exact location, cause, cargo, and any potential loss of life, remain unknown.

Final Disposition

The lack of detailed records regarding the Weegee’s final voyage suggests she may have been lost in a minor incident that did not attract significant contemporary attention, possibly due to her small size and local trade routes. It is presumed that she was wrecked during a storm, as this was the most common cause of loss for vessels of her type and era.

Her official documentation was formally surrendered in 1879 at Port Huron, Michigan, two years after her loss, which was a standard administrative process to close the vessel’s registry following confirmation of her wreck.

Located By & Date Found

Nil – There are no known reports of the Weegee’s wreck being located. Given the sparse details of her loss, it is possible that any remains are scattered, buried, or deteriorated beyond recognition, especially if she was lost in shallow or nearshore waters.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil – No specific navigational advisories related to the Weegee exist, as her wreck site has not been documented.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Vessels Database (BGSU)
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Port Huron Maritime Archives

Keywords: Weegee, schooner, Great Lakes Schooner, Bay City maritime history, Wenona Michigan, 19th-century shipwreck, Port Huron vessel registry

Categories: Shipwrecks of the Great Lakes, 19th Century Maritime Disasters, Small Schooners of the Great Lakes

Glossary Terms:

Schooner: A sailing vessel with two or more masts, commonly used on the Great Lakes for transporting cargo.

Rebuilt: Refers to significant repairs or modifications to a vessel’s structure, often following damage or to extend service life.

Vessel Registry Surrender: The administrative process of formally closing a ship’s registration after it has been lost, dismantled, or otherwise retired from service.

Conclusion

The Weegee represents the countless small working schooners that served the Great Lakes during the 19th century—vessels that quietly supported regional commerce but often left little historical record when lost. Her disappearance in 1877, with minimal details preserved, highlights how even in the bustling maritime world of the Great Lakes, some stories were lost to time, overshadowed by larger disasters and more prominent vessels.