The Wreck of the Duncan City (1888)

Identification & Site Information

• Name: Duncan City
• Former Names: John Heisman (original), John Rae (1856–1873)
• Official Number: 6792
• Type at Loss: Wooden Schooner, 2-Mast
• Built: 1852, Geo. Thurston, Kingston, Ontario (originally as a Bark)
• Specifications: 114 ft (34.7 m) x 25 ft (7.6 m) x 9 ft (2.7 m) | 211 Gross Tons | 200 Net Tons
• Date of Loss: October 22, 1888 (Spring 1889 given in error)
• Place of Loss: Summer Island, off the tip of Garden Island, Michigan
• Lake: Michigan
• Type of Loss: Storm
• Loss of Life: None
• Cargo: Unknown

Vessel Type

The Duncan City was a two-masted wooden Schooner, originally built as a Bark-rigged sailing vessel in 1852. Over the course of her career, she was Rebuilt multiple times and renamed twice before her eventual wreck in 1888.

Her history of modifications and accidents showcases the adaptability and resilience of wooden sailing vessels, which were often repaired and refitted multiple times to extend their useful life.

Description

The vessel had a long and storied career spanning nearly four decades. Originally launched as John Heisman in 1852 from Kingston, Ontario, she was later renamed John Rae in 1856 and finally became Duncan City in 1873 after being Rebuilt on the Hull of the salvaged John Rae.

She was notably one of the first Great Lakes vessels to make a transatlantic shipment, transporting corn from Hamilton, Ontario, via Buffalo, to St. John’s, New Brunswick, in May 1856—an ambitious voyage for a Schooner of her type.

Throughout her career, the Duncan City suffered multiple groundings and collisions, requiring significant repairs and refits:

• 1866: Wrecked and sunk near the Ducks in Eastern Lake Ontario but recovered the next year.
• 1872: Ran aground at South Bay, Lake Ontario, and was salvaged by Americans.
• 1873: Rebuilt in Oswego, New York, and launched anew as Duncan City.
• June 1884: Collided with the Schooner M.L. Higgie near Bailey’s Harbour, sustaining damage.

Despite these incidents, she remained a workhorse of the Great Lakes, continuing to transport cargo well into the late 19th century.

Final Disposition

On October 22, 1888, the Duncan City encountered a violent storm while navigating Lake Michigan near Summer Island, off the tip of Garden Island, Michigan.

The Schooner was driven ashore and wrecked. Reports indicate that she was pounded to pieces by the waves shortly after.

A conflicting report in 1890 stated she had been released, but no further record exists of her returning to service, making it likely that she was too damaged to be seaworthy again.

She was owned at the time by Captain Parker of Chicago.

Located By & Date Found

• Status: Wreck remains unconfirmed near Summer Island, Michigan.
• Some sources suggest she was salvaged or broken apart by natural forces, making it unlikely that significant wreckage remains today.

NOTMARs & Advisories

• No active navigation warnings exist for the wreck site.
• Any remaining debris may be buried under sediment or scattered in shallow waters.

Resources & Links

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

Conclusion

The Duncan City represents the durability and evolution of wooden schooners on the Great Lakes. Surviving multiple wrecks and reconstructions, she exemplifies the importance of adaptability in 19th-century maritime trade.

Her final wreck in 1888 marked the end of a long and storied career, but her legacy remains a testament to the schooners that helped shape commerce on the Great Lakes.

Keywords & Categories

Keywords: Duncan City shipwreck, John Rae, John Heisman, Great Lakes schooners, Lake Michigan shipwrecks, Garden Island maritime history, Sailing vessels of the 19th century, Oswego shipbuilding, Shipwreck salvage history.
Categories: Great Lakes shipwrecks, Wooden schooners, Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan, 19th-century maritime disasters, Lost ships of the Great Lakes.