History #
The schooner KATE L. BRUCE had a tumultuous history marked by several unfortunate incidents. Built in 1872 by Hanson & Scove in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, the three-mast wooden schooner had a capacity of 307 tons. She was owned by L. Lindgren of Chicago. The vessel encountered multiple instances of misfortune throughout her short existence.
In November 1872, the Kate L. Bruce sank in Lake Erie. However, she was salvaged and repaired, returning to service. Then, in 1873, she suffered another sinking, this time in Lake Michigan. Despite these setbacks, the schooner was rebuilt once again.
On November 8, 1877, tragedy struck the Kate L. Bruce in Lake Huron. She was carrying a cargo of wheat and had been in tow of the tug Johnson before being released. The schooner disappeared in heavy weather after being last seen off 40-mile Point, Michigan. It was speculated that she collided with an unknown vessel, resulting in both ships sinking. All eight crew members on board, including Captain Hans Hanson, perished in the incident.
Subsequently, the lifeboat and mainmast of the Kate L. Bruce washed up near Thunder Bay Light, providing some evidence of her fate. However, her exact location remained unknown until she was discovered in six fathoms of water in Thunder Bay in the fall of 1879. The shipwreck served as a grim reminder of the tragic loss of life that occurred two years prior.
In August 1878, a bureau containing the vessel’s papers washed up on the Canadian side, further adding to the somber reminders of the Kate L. Bruce’s demise. Despite the multiple incidents and losses she experienced, the schooner’s history serves as a testament to the dangers and challenges faced by sailors on the Great Lakes during that era.
