Identification & Site Information

• Name: AETNA
• Former Names: None
• Official Number: 358
• Type at Loss: Wooden Schooner
• Date Built and Launched: 1865
• Builder: Bailey, Madison Dock, Ohio
• Measurements:
• Gross Tonnage: 317 tons
• Date Lost: 1890
• Place of Loss: Manitou Passage, Lake Michigan
• Lake: Lake Michigan

Vessel Type

Wooden Schooner, originally a two-masted vessel, later Rebuilt as a three-masted schooner.

Description

The AETNA was constructed in 1865 at Madison Dock, Ohio, by a builder identified as Bailey. Originally launched as a two-masted Schooner, she was Rebuilt during the winter of 1875-76 in Chicago, where she was converted into a three-masted Schooner. With a Gross Tonnage of 317 tons, the AETNA was typical of the larger schooners of the mid-to-late 19th century, used primarily for bulk cargo transport across the Great Lakes. Like many vessels of her time, she was heavily involved in the coal trade, a critical commodity for fueling the rapidly industrializing Midwest.

History

The AETNA had a long and eventful career on the Great Lakes, marked by multiple incidents prior to her final loss. In November 1877, she ran ashore near Long Tail Point, close to Chicago, sustaining heavy damage. The following year, in October 1878, she suffered further severe damage in another incident on Lake Michigan. Despite these setbacks, the AETNA continued her service after repairs and modifications, including her Conversion from a two-masted to a three-masted Schooner in Chicago.

Her final voyage in 1890 ended mysteriously in the Manitou Passage, a notorious stretch of Lake Michigan known for both its beauty and its shipwrecks. Reports indicate that the AETNA Foundered in calm weather while under full sail, an unusual occurrence given the lack of adverse weather conditions. The details surrounding the sinking remain sparse, with little information available about potential structural failures or other contributing factors.

Final Disposition

Foundered and sank in the Manitou Passage under unexplained circumstances.

Located By & Date Found

Nil (No records available confirming the discovery or documentation of the wreck site).

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil (No current navigational obstructions or maritime advisories related to this wreck in the Manitou Passage).

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database – Bowling Green State University
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File
• Save Ontario Shipwrecks

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Suggested Keywords, Categories, and Glossary Terms

• Keywords: AETNA Schooner, Manitou Passage shipwreck, Lake Michigan schooner wreck, three-masted Schooner, unexplained shipwrecks Great Lakes
• Categories: Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan, Rebuilt Schooners, Maritime Mysteries of the Great Lakes, Coal Trade Vessels
• Glossary Terms:
• Schooner: A sailing vessel with two or more masts, commonly used for cargo transport on the Great Lakes in the 19th century.
• Manitou Passage: A critical shipping lane in Lake Michigan, known for both its strategic importance and numerous shipwrecks.
• Foundered: A maritime term indicating that a vessel sank due to taking on water, often without clear external causes such as weather.

Conclusion

The AETNA’s mysterious sinking in calm weather in the Manitou Passage adds her to the long list of unexplained maritime losses on the Great Lakes. Despite other incidents and heavy damage earlier in her career, the Schooner continued to serve until her sudden loss in 1890. The scarcity of detailed reports and absence of confirmed wreck discovery leave many questions about her final moments unanswered, contributing to the enduring intrigue of Great Lakes shipwreck history.