Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

A.W. LUCKEY US 1582

Explore the remains of the A.W. LUCKEY, a wooden schooner scuttled in 1917, with a rich history of service and incidents on Lake Michigan.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: A.W. LUCKEY
  • Type: Schooner
  • Year Built: 1867
  • Builder: F. LeFebure
  • Dimensions: Length 138.16 ft (42.14 m); Beam 26.16 ft; Depth of hold 9.5 ft
  • Registered Tonnage: 259 GT
  • Location: Off Chicago, IL
  • Official Number: 1582
  • Original Owners: S. Doolittle, Captain Donahue, Sands Lumber Co., Illinois Stone Co.
  • Number of Masts: Three

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

A three-masted wooden schooner, single deck, originally measured at 138.16 ft length, 26.16 ft beam, and 9.5 ft depth. Built by F. LeFebure for owner S. Doolittle of Oswego, NY. Gross register tonnage around 259 GT with capacity of approximately 20,000 bushels—likely used for bulk cargoes like grain or stone.

Description

The A.W. LUCKEY was a wooden schooner that served primarily in the transport of bulk cargoes on the Great Lakes. Over its operational life, it underwent several dimensional changes and ownership transitions, reflecting the evolving maritime industry of the time.

History

In 1868, the A.W. LUCKEY was recorded at 259.19 GRT. By 1894, it was reconstructed or re-measured at 147.66′ × 26.16′ × 9.75′. The vessel was owned at various times by Captain Donahue in Cleveland (1876), Sands Lumber Co. in Manistee (from 1882), and later by Illinois Stone Co. before its final disposition.

Significant Incidents

  • 1871 (Sep): Lost centreboard in Lake Michigan while grain-laden.
  • 1879 (Nov 20): Aground near Manistee, MI, Lake Michigan.
  • 1896 (May 27): Damaged during squall at Port Washington; underwent repairs.
  • 1916: Officially abandoned, per registry sources.
  • 1917: Scuttled off Chicago, IL under Illinois Stone Co., marking end of service.

Final Disposition

The A.W. LUCKEY was officially scuttled off Chicago in 1917, marking the end of its service.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No recorded advances in wreck discovery or dive surveys. Condition unknown. Possible submerged remains exist, but they’re unidentified in known databases.

Resources & Links

The A.W. LUCKEY, built 1867 in Ohio, served as a workhorse schooner for grain, lumber, and stone transport on Lake Michigan. She endured multiple incidents and grounded events before being scuttled off Chicago in 1917. While no wreck has been confirmed, future archival dives into company and maritime records—as well as geophysical surveys—could yield rich insights into her final resting place and operational legacy.