The Wreck of the E.W. Dunham (1871)

Identification & Site Information

• Name: E.W. Dunham
• Former Name(s): Also seen as E.F. Dunham
• Official Number: None
• Type at Loss: Scow-Schooner, Wood, 2-Mast
• Built: 1870, D.C. Gates, Houghton, Ontario
• Specifications: 76 ft (23.1 m) x 17 ft (5.2 m) x 6 ft (1.8 m) | 75 tons
• Date of Loss: Late August 1871 (exact date unknown)
• Place of Loss: Mid-lake, between Port Burwell and Cleveland
• Lake: Erie
• Type of Loss: Storm
• Loss of Life: 6 (all hands lost)
• Cargo: Coal

Vessel Type

The E.W. Dunham was a scow-schooner, a flat-bottomed wooden sailing vessel commonly used on the Great Lakes during the 19th century.

Scow-schooners were economical cargo carriers, ideal for short-haul transport of coal, lumber, and other bulk goods. Their flat Hull design allowed them to navigate shallow harbors and rivers, making them a popular choice for smaller ports.

While inexpensive and practical, scow-schooners were notoriously unstable in heavy weather and were often the first vessels lost during storms.

Description

Built in 1870 in Houghton, Ontario, the E.W. Dunham was a relatively new vessel when it met its fate just a year later.

The ship was registered out of Port Burwell, Ontario, a small but active coal and lumber shipping hub on the north shore of Lake Erie. It was used primarily for coal transport, running between Cleveland and Ontario ports.

At the time of its loss, Mr. Wright was in command of the ship. Notably, there was no official master aboard, which may have contributed to the vessel’s misfortune.

Final Disposition

In late August 1871, the E.W. Dunham set sail from Cleveland, Ohio, bound for Port Burwell, Ontario, carrying a cargo of coal.

It never arrived.

A storm swept across Lake Erie, and the Dunham likely Foundered mid-lake, drowning all six crew members. Given the vessel’s scow design, it is possible that strong winds and high waves caused it to capsize.

The wreck was never officially found, and no survivors or major debris fields were reported, leaving its exact location a mystery.

In 1873, records indicate that a vessel called E.A. Dunham was listed as “Rebuilt” out of Port Burwell. Whether this was a salvaged portion of the original wreck or an entirely new ship is unclear.

Located By & Date Found

• Status: The wreck has never been officially located.
• Possible location: Mid-lake between Port Burwell and Cleveland, depth unknown.

Given that Lake Erie is relatively shallow (average depth 62 ft / 19 m), any wreckage would likely be well-preserved, buried under layers of sediment. Future side-scan sonar searches may help uncover its final resting place.

NOTMARs & Advisories

• No navigational warnings are currently issued for the E.W. Dunham wreck, as its precise location remains unknown.
• Lake Erie is a high-traffic area, and mariners should always be aware of unmarked obstructions in deeper sections of the lake.

Resources & Links

• Great Lakes Shipwreck Research
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Ontario Marine Heritage Database

Conclusion

The loss of the E.W. Dunham is a classic example of the dangers faced by small cargo vessels on the Great Lakes in the 19th century. Scow-schooners, though essential for trade, were not built for extreme weather, and many vanished without a trace.

With no survivors, no distress signals, and no confirmed wreckage, the E.W. Dunham remains one of Lake Erie’s forgotten mysteries.

As shipwreck technology advances, future discoveries may yet shed light on what happened to this ill-fated vessel.

Keywords & Categories

Keywords: E.W. Dunham shipwreck, scow-Schooner wreck, Lake Erie shipwrecks, lost vessels of Lake Erie, coal transport shipwrecks, Great Lakes storms, Port Burwell maritime history.
Categories: Great Lakes shipwrecks, Wooden schooners, Shipwrecks of Lake Erie, 19th-century maritime disasters, Unfound wrecks.