ST. LOUIS C75386

IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION #

VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION #

The ST. LOUIS was a canal schooner, later classified as a barkentine, built in 1877 by Lewis Shickluna, a renowned shipbuilder in St. Catharines, Ontario. The vessel was designed for the lumber and grain trade and was wire-rigged with modern conveniences and improvements suitable for the time. The ST. LOUIS was a three-masted, double topsail schooner with a significant cargo capacity, specifically designed for navigating the canals and lakes of the Great Lakes region.

HISTORY #

The ST. LOUIS was launched on June 11, 1877, and quickly became known as one of the finest vessels of its class. Its maiden voyage took it to Toledo, Ohio, a testament to its design and capabilities. The schooner had a tonnage of 333.60 tons and was valued at $20,000, reflecting its importance in the maritime trade at the time.

Over its operational life, the ST. LOUIS was involved in various trades, including the grain trade between Duluth and Kingston and the lumber trade between Duluth and Tonawanda. The vessel experienced several notable incidents, including running aground near Fish Point in Lake Huron in 1897, where it required the assistance of a tug to be freed.

Ownership of the ST. LOUIS changed hands several times, with the vessel being enrolled in St. Catharines in 1877 and later acquired by J.W. Hanna of Windsor, Ontario, in 1889. By 1911, the vessel had been transferred to Kingston, Ontario, where it was eventually abandoned in the inner harbor.

The final chapter of the ST. LOUIS came on March 15, 1926, when the vessel burned at its dock in Kingston. After the fire, the remains of the ST. LOUIS were removed and scuttled in the deep waters of the Wolfe Island Graveyard in Lake Ontario.

FINAL DISPOSITION #

The ST. LOUIS was scuttled in the Wolfe Island Graveyard in Lake Ontario after burning at its dock in Kingston. The wreck lies at a depth of 98 feet at the provided coordinates, making it a part of the historical ship graveyard.

CURRENT CONDITION & ACCESSIBILITY #

The wreck of the ST. LOUIS is located in the Wolfe Island Graveyard at a depth of 98 feet, making it accessible to divers. Given its wooden construction and the fact that it burned before being scuttled, the condition of the wreck may be compromised, but it remains an important site for those interested in the maritime history of the Great Lakes.

RESOURCES & LINKS #

• Divehub.ca Dive Site Information: Provides details for divers exploring the Wolfe Island Graveyard, including the wreck of the ST. LOUIS.
• Historical Collections of the Great Lakes (HCGL): Offers historical data and ship histories, including the ST. LOUIS.
• Queens University Video Tape Holdings POW Photo Project 1998: Archival footage and photographs documenting wrecks in Lake Ontario, including the ST. LOUIS.
• Vlada Dekina Photogallery 2002: Photographs of shipwrecks in the Lake Ontario region, potentially featuring the ST. LOUIS.

KEYWORDS #

• ST. LOUIS
• Wolfe Island Graveyard
• Lake Ontario shipwrecks
• Great Lakes schooner
• Lewis Shickluna
• Kingston maritime history
• Scuttled vessels
• Canal schooner

ANALYSIS #

The ST. LOUIS represents a significant piece of Great Lakes maritime history, reflecting the era of canal schooners designed to navigate the waterways connecting the Great Lakes. Built by the esteemed shipbuilder Lewis Shickluna in 1877, the ST. LOUIS had a long and varied career, transporting lumber, grain, and other goods across the lakes.

The vessel’s eventual demise by fire and its subsequent scuttling in the Wolfe Island Graveyard highlight the common fate of many older wooden ships as they were retired from active service. The wreck of the ST. LOUIS offers a unique opportunity for divers and historians to explore a vessel that played a vital role in the economic development of the Great Lakes region during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

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