Antelope (1854)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: ANTELOPE
• Type: Schooner, wood-hulled, 2-masted
• Year Built: 1854
• Builder: J&J Abbey
• Dimensions: 107 ft (32.6 m); Beam: 20 ft (6.1 m); Depth of hold: 10 ft (3 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 180 tons
• Location: Near Port Stanley, Ontario
• Official Number: None (Canadian registration)
• Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden Two-Masted Schooner

Description

The ANTELOPE was a medium-sized wooden, two-masted schooner designed for the transport of bulk agricultural products across the Great Lakes, particularly Lake Erie. Built by J&J Abbey in Port Robinson, Ontario, in 1854, she was a typical example of mid-19th-century Canadian schooner construction, optimized for navigating the often-turbulent waters of the Great Lakes while carrying large cargo loads.

History

The ANTELOPE had a relatively short but eventful career on Lake Erie. She primarily transported agricultural goods between ports in Ontario and Michigan, contributing to the growing trade networks essential to the region’s economy during the mid-19th century.

On November 25, 1857, just three years after her launch, the ANTELOPE was driven ashore near St. Joseph, Michigan, during a gale. The incident resulted in the loss of five lives, marking a tragic chapter in the vessel’s history. Despite the severity of the wreck, the ANTELOPE was recovered the following year and rebuilt at great cost, demonstrating both the value placed on such vessels and the resilience of Great Lakes shipping enterprises during that period.

However, the schooner’s luck did not hold for long. On September 18, 1860, while carrying a cargo of oats and peas from Morpeth, Ontario, the ANTELOPE encountered another storm near Port Stanley, Ontario. During the storm, she sprang a leak, and despite any efforts to save her, the schooner sank, resulting in a total loss. This time, two crew members perished in the sinking. Given the vessel’s previous damage and the inherent structural weaknesses of wooden schooners subjected to repeated stresses, the final sinking may have been exacerbated by lingering vulnerabilities from the earlier wreck.

Significant Incidents

• November 25, 1857: Driven ashore near St. Joseph, Michigan, resulting in the loss of five lives.
• September 18, 1860: Sank during a storm near Port Stanley, Ontario, with two crew members perishing.

Final Disposition

Sprang a leak and sank near Port Stanley, Ontario, on September 18, 1860, during a storm. The vessel was declared a total loss.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Nil—no confirmed reports of the wreck’s recovery or current location.

Resources & Links

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The ANTELOPE‘s brief but turbulent career is a vivid reflection of the perils faced by schooners on the Great Lakes during the 19th century. Despite being rebuilt at great cost after her 1857 wreck near St. Joseph, Michigan, she met her final fate in 1860 after springing a leak in a storm near Port Stanley. The vessel’s repeated encounters with disaster underscore the challenges of navigating the Great Lakes, where sudden storms and structural vulnerabilities often spelled doom for even the most resilient ships. The ANTELOPE‘s history also highlights the human cost of these maritime ventures, with a total of seven lives lost in her various mishaps.