Site Description #
- Schooner Barge
- 40ffw 13m
- 288ft Length
- Point Pelee, Lake Erie
- 41 52.95 82 38.51
History #
On May 9, 1906, the schooner Armenia, while being towed by the steamer Pabst, foundered during a storm. It now rests on the bottom of Lake Erie, approximately 4 miles northwest of the Middle Ground in Pelee Passage. Fortunately, all members of the crew were saved by the Pabst.
Initially, there was confusion regarding the fate of the Armenia. Captain Fred Stewart, the master of the steamship A.E. Stewart, reported the incident at Lime Kiln Crossing, but it was initially believed to refer to the sinking of the schooner Wilcox near Colchester.
The crew of the Armenia, which included Captain Cooper, arrived in Cleveland on May 10, 1906, aboard the Pabst, the vessel that had towed the lost boat. Captain Cooper reported that the Armenia lies in 7 fathoms of water, broken in two, and will be a total loss. The vessel was loaded with ore and insured for $36,000. It had undergone $10,000 worth of repairs during the winter.
Both the Armenia and the Algeria, sister ships lost in the same storm on Lake Erie, were mentioned in the news. Captain Sidney Scott, the managing owner of the Algeria, offered a reward of $100 for the recovery of the bodies of Captain Elmen and George Wallen, who were lost. The Armenia was insured for $36,000.
In the aftermath of the incident, it was suggested that the wreck of the Armenia be marked with a buoy to alert other vessels in Lake Erie. The Canadian government’s marine department took up the matter.
Additional historical information about the Armenia includes being towed by the Venezuela in 1898. Ownership changed to James Mowatt of Chicago, IL, in 1900 and then to A. Beacher of Milwaukee, WI, in 1901 for $55,000. The Armenia foundered on May 9, 1906. Another incident related to the wreck occurred on September 18, 1906, when the C. Packard hit the wreck and sank.
