IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION #
VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION #
The SYRACUSE was a two-masted wooden schooner, measuring 120 feet in length with a beam of 25 feet 3 inches and a depth of 10 feet 6 inches. Constructed in 1853 at Oswego, NY, by J.A. Baker, it was originally owned by J.L. Hall & Co. The vessel was designed for transporting cargo across the Great Lakes, a common role for schooners of its era. The SYRACUSE was employed in various commercial activities, including the transport of coal, which was its final cargo at the time of its sinking.
HISTORY #
Launched on September 4, 1853, the SYRACUSE had a history marked by multiple incidents. Shortly after its launch, it went ashore at Point au Pelee in September 1853, necessitating the jettisoning of 200 tons of railroad iron to free the vessel. It later anchored at Cedar Creek, Canada, after being successfully refloated. In December 1854, the schooner encountered further difficulties, grounding 15 miles east of Point au Pelee.
Throughout the 1860s, the vessel underwent several ownership changes and was repaired and lengthened in 1861. By 1863, it was owned by Buckley & Finnegan of Milwaukee. On November 10, 1863, while carrying a load of coal, the SYRACUSE sprang a leak while sailing between Cheboygan and Hammond Bay, Lake Huron. The crew safely abandoned the vessel, rowing to Cheboygan in a skiff. The SYRACUSE subsequently sank near Nine Mile Point in 50 feet of water, where it remains a site of interest for divers today.
FINAL DISPOSITION #
The SYRACUSE foundered off 40 Mile Point in Lake Huron, near Cheboygan, Michigan. The ship sank in 50 feet of water, and despite its accessibility to divers, the wreck is not marked by buoys from either the Straits Preserve or the Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary.
LOCATED BY & DATE #
The exact date of discovery of the SYRACUSE wreck is not documented, but it has been known to divers and historians for many years, with no specific individual credited with its discovery.
NOTMARs & ADVISORIES #
- Obstructions: The site is not marked on marine charts by buoys from recognized agencies like the Straits Preserve or the Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary, which may pose a challenge for navigation and diving.
RESOURCES & LINKS #
For more information, you may visit the following websites:
- 3D Shipwrecks
- Great Lakes Ships
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Vessels
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- George N. Fletcher Public Library
- Library and Archives Canada
- Library of Congress
- Digital Library at York University
CONCLUSION #
The SYRACUSE, like many other schooners of the Great Lakes, met its end in a challenging environment. Despite the loss, the ship’s wreck provides valuable historical insights and remains an accessible site for divers, albeit without the benefit of buoy markers. The story of the SYRACUSE contributes to the rich tapestry of Great Lakes maritime history, underscoring the risks and realities faced by those who navigated these waters.
Schooner SYRACUSE
Great Lakes shipwreck
Lake Huron shipwrecks
40 Mile Point
Great Lakes maritime history
Cheboygan Michigan
19th-century schooners
Buckley & Finnegan
Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary
Straits Preserve
