- Schooner Barge
- 32ffw
- 150ft Scattered
- South Bass Island, Lake Erie
- 41 27.2 82 50.14
- 43688.3 28853.3 56920.1
According to a report from the Buffalo Evening News on April 27, 1910, the wreck of the schooner CHARLES SPADEMAN, which had sunk in South Passage of Lake Erie, has been successfully removed. Lieutenant Colonel John Mills of the Engineer Corps of the Army, stationed in Cleveland, provided the information to the Lighthouse Inspector’s office. The depth over the wreck now measures at a clear 28 feet, and the buoy marking its location has been taken away.
Further records indicate that the CHARLES SPADEMAN was an American vessel with a gross tonnage of 306 tons. It was built in 1873 in Marine City, Michigan, by Philip Rice. The dimensions of the schooner were recorded as 134.2 feet in length, 25.9 feet in beam, and 10.8 feet in depth. The vessel had three masts and operated primarily in the Great Lakes region.
Tragically, on December 10, 1909, the CHARLES SPADEMAN foundered at Put-in-Bay, Ohio, with four individuals on board. Fortunately, there were no fatalities in the incident. The sinking of the vessel was reported in the Merchant Vessel List of the United States for the year 1910.
Additional historical records show that over the years, the ownership of the CHARLES SPADEMAN changed hands. It was initially owned by Rice et al. in East China, Michigan, and later came under the ownership of Scott Bros. in Marine City. The vessel had various uses, listed as both a barge and a schooner at different times. It experienced collisions and accidents throughout its history, including a sinking in the St. Clair River in 1903 after a collision with the steamer R. E. BUNSEN.
The removal of the wreck of the CHARLES SPADEMAN from South Passage marked the end of its presence as a navigational hazard in Lake Erie. The successful salvage operation brought closure to the vessel’s story, which was marred by unfortunate incidents and accidents during its time on the Great Lakes.
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