Identification & Site Information

• Name: ELVIRA HUNTER
• Other Names: None reported
• Official Number: 136367
• Date Built and Launched: 1893
• Builder: Unknown, constructed at Hammond’s Bay, Michigan
• Measurements:Length: 48 ft (14.63 m) Beam: 14 ft (4.27 m) Depth: 4 ft (1.22 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 24 tons
• Net Tonnage: 24 tons
• Date Lost: October 1, 1895
• Place of Loss: Mid-Lake Huron
• Lake: Huron

Vessel Type

Wooden scow-schooner, a flat-bottomed sailing vessel designed primarily for carrying bulk cargo in shallow waters. Scow-schooners were common on the Great Lakes during the late 19th century, valued for their stability and ease of loading/unloading.

Description

The ELVIRA HUNTER was a small, wooden scow-schooner built in 1893 at Hammond’s Bay, Michigan, a lesser-known shipbuilding site on the northern coast of Lake Huron. At only 48 feet in length and 24 gross tons, the vessel was modest in size and likely served regional transport routes, moving goods along the Michigan shoreline or between local ports.

The flat-bottomed scow design made the ELVIRA HUNTER particularly suitable for navigating shallow coastal areas and rivers, where deeper-Draft vessels would struggle. This type of Schooner was often used to transport lumber, coal, stone, or other bulk materials essential for the growing communities around the Great Lakes.

History

Given its small size and construction in 1893, the ELVIRA HUNTER had a short operational life of only two years. While specific details of its voyages and cargoes are sparse, it was likely engaged in local trade along the Michigan shoreline or possibly in short-haul routes between ports on Lake Huron.

Smaller scow-schooners like the ELVIRA HUNTER were essential to the infrastructure and economic development of the Great Lakes region, often ferrying goods between larger shipping hubs and smaller, less accessible communities.

Final Disposition

On October 1, 1895, the ELVIRA HUNTER Foundered in mid-Lake Huron. The term Foundered generally indicates that the vessel took on water and sank, though the specific cause—whether due to weather conditions, structural failure, or collision—is not documented.

There are no reports of casualties, suggesting the crew was able to escape safely, or the vessel may have been unmanned at the time, which was not uncommon for small cargo vessels being towed.

Located By & Date Found

Nil return. There is no recorded discovery of the ELVIRA HUNTER‘s wreck site. Given the vessel’s small size and the vastness of Lake Huron, it is possible that the wreck remains undiscovered.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return. No navigational hazards related to this wreck are reported.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File

Conclusion

The ELVIRA HUNTER‘s brief two-year service reflects the precarious nature of small schooners operating on the Great Lakes in the late 19th century. Scow-schooners were vital to local trade and industry, yet their small size and limited structural resilience made them vulnerable to the unpredictable weather and rough waters of Lake Huron. While the details surrounding its sinking are sparse, the vessel’s loss is part of the broader tapestry of maritime history that shaped the development of Michigan’s shoreline communities.

If you’d like me to dig deeper into historical archives or search for any updates on potential wreck discoveries, let me know!