Identification & Site Information

• Official Number: 22916
• Vessel Type: Wooden Scow Schooner
• Builder: Lee & Navagh, Oswego, New York
• Year Built: 1867
• Specifications:
• Length: 95 ft (29 m)
• Beam: 22 ft (6.7 m)
• Depth: 7 ft (2.1 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 109 tons
• Net Tonnage: 103 tons
• Original Owner: Lee & Navagh, Oswego, New York

Service History

The Sassacus was a scow Schooner, a flat-bottomed sailing vessel designed for carrying heavy cargo in shallow waters. Built in 1867, she was primarily used for transporting lumber, stone, and other bulk goods along the Great Lakes shipping routes.

Over her 26-year career, the Sassacus saw multiple owners and incidents, but was repeatedly repaired and returned to service. She changed ownership frequently, operating in Oswego, Cleveland, Milwaukee, and other ports.

Some notable events in her history:

• 1871: Still owned by her original builders; suffered dismasting (loss of mast).
• 1876: Repaired and put back into service.
• 1877: Purchased by Captain Patrick Ryan of Oswego.
• 1879: Declared uninsurable and Abandoned at Oswego, but later salvaged.
• 1883: During a storm in Lorain, Ohio, she broke loose in the harbor and damaged several other vessels and the Main Street bridge.
• 1884–1887: Operated in the stone and lumber trade under various owners in Cleveland and Milwaukee.
• 1890: Ran ashore at Burnham Pier, north of Manistee, losing her rudder and filling with water—another near loss.

Final Voyage & Loss – September 1893

The Sassacus met her final fate in a storm on Lake Michigan in September 1893.

• The vessel was carrying a cargo of wood when a storm forced her aground two miles north of the east entrance to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
• She was beached and Abandoned, marking the end of her long and troubled career.

Final Disposition & Wreck Site

• Location: 2 miles north of the east entrance to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, Lake Michigan
• Condition: Beached and Abandoned; likely broken apart over time

Located By & Date Found

Nil return

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return

Resources & Links

📖 More on Great Lakes Shipwrecks:
🔗 Maritime History of the Great Lakes
🔗 Great Lakes Shipwreck Research
🔗 David Swayze Shipwreck File
🔗 Save Ontario Shipwrecks

Conclusion

The Sassacus was a sturdy but problematic vessel, frequently damaged, Abandoned, and salvaged multiple times before finally succumbing to a storm in 1893. Her eventful career highlights the challenges faced by scow schooners, which were essential to Great Lakes commerce but often faced rough conditions and unpredictable waters.

Sassacus #GreatLakesShipwrecks #LakeMichigan #ScowSchooner #MaritimeHistory #SturgeonBayWrecks #