Armada US 364

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Armada
• Type: Schooner (converted to barge)
• Year Built: 1847
• Builder: Asa Wilcox, Sackett’s Harbor, New York
• Dimensions: Unknown; registered at 176 gross tons, 235 overall measurement
• Registered Tonnage: 176 gross tons
• Location: Lake Michigan
• Coordinates: Not recorded
• Official Number: 364
• Original Owners: Unknown
• Number of Masts: Unknown

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Armada was originally constructed as a schooner in 1847 by Asa Wilcox of Sackett’s Harbor, New York. In 1858, it was rebuilt and converted into a wooden barge, extending its service life during a transitional period when steam tugs increasingly dominated Great Lakes trade. As a barge, the vessel’s role shifted from independent sailing to towed bulk cargo carrier, likely hauling lumber, coal, or grain.

Description

The Armada served as a schooner for its first decade before being rebuilt in 1858. Its conversion reflected a common practice of the era, keeping older wooden hulls in commercial service by adapting them for barge work. By the 1860s, she was operating primarily as a towed vessel out of Chicago.

In May 1869, the Armada broke loose from a tow on Lake Michigan and wrecked. Salvage efforts allowed her to return to service. However, just months later in September 1869, she again parted from her tow during a storm on Lake Michigan. This time the vessel was lost completely, marking the end of her service. Specific details of her final voyage—including cargo and crew—remain unknown.

History

The Armada was lost in September 1869 after breaking free from her tow during a Lake Michigan storm. The vessel was declared a total loss. No confirmed casualties were reported.

Significant Incidents

• May 1869: Broke loose from a tow and wrecked, but was salvaged and returned to service.
• September 1869: Broke loose from tow during a storm and was lost completely.

Final Disposition

The Armada was lost in September 1869 after breaking free from her tow during a Lake Michigan storm. The vessel was declared a total loss. No confirmed casualties were reported.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Condition: Total loss, wreck location unknown.
Accessibility: Not accessible.

Resources & Links

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The Armada illustrates the adaptive practices of Great Lakes shipping in the mid-19th century, when schooners were often converted into barges to extend their working lives. Despite salvage after a May 1869 wreck, the barge was lost permanently in September that year. The vessel’s disappearance into the unrecorded depths of Lake Michigan leaves her among the many undocumented barge wrecks of the era.