Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Boscobel
- Type: Schooner-barge (originally a propeller vessel)
- Year Built: 1866
- Builder: S.V.D. Philbrook
- Dimensions: Length: 168.5 ft (51.4 m); Beam: 30.6 ft (9.3 m); Depth of hold: 17.3 ft (5.3 m)
- Registered Tonnage: Gross: 503.89 tons (as a barge); 570 tons after re-rigging as a three-mast schooner
- Location: Lake Huron, near Alpena, Michigan
- Official Number: 31430
- Original Owners: Peshtigo Company
- Number of Masts: Three-mast schooner
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Boscobel was a versatile wooden vessel that underwent multiple transformations to adapt to the changing demands of Great Lakes shipping. Initially constructed as a propeller vessel in 1866, it was later converted into a barge and subsequently re-rigged as a three-mast schooner. These changes allowed the vessel to remain operational in the evolving maritime trade environment of the late 19th century.
Description
The Boscobel was launched in December 1866 in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, with its upper works completed in Chicago, Illinois. Initially constructed for the Peshtigo Company, it served the lumber trade between Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Chicago, Illinois, at speeds of 8–11 miles per hour.
The vessel’s early history included a fire on September 3, 1869, in the St. Clair River, which claimed three lives and destroyed its cargo. Despite the tragedy, the Boscobel was raised and dismantled, eventually rebuilt in 1876 as a barge in Algonac, Michigan. Its gross tonnage increased to 503.89 tons, and it was capable of carrying up to 65,000 feet of lumber.
Further modifications in 1883 transformed the vessel into a three-mast schooner with expanded dimensions and a gross tonnage of 570 tons. Throughout its service life, the Boscobel encountered several incidents, including a sinking near Turtle Light in Lake Erie in 1895, from which it was salvaged and returned to service.
History
In September 1900, while carrying a load of coal, the Boscobel sprang a leak during a storm in Lake Huron and sank near Alpena, Michigan. Its final enrollment was surrendered in 1903, marked “sold foreign,” with reports suggesting it sank permanently in 1904.
Significant Incidents
- Fire on September 3, 1869, in the St. Clair River, resulting in three fatalities and loss of cargo.
- Sank near Turtle Light in Lake Erie in 1895, salvaged and returned to service.
- Sank in Lake Huron in September 1900 during a storm.
Final Disposition
The Boscobel sank in Lake Huron in September 1900 after taking on water during a storm. Although it was initially thought salvageable, it was eventually abandoned. Details of its final sinking remain unclear, though the vessel’s long history of incidents culminated in its loss near Alpena, Michigan.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Given its age, the condition of the Boscobel is unknown, and no reports detail its accessibility for diving or exploration. The wreck remains of interest to maritime historians and potentially to divers, depending on its state and location.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”boscobel-us-31410″ title=”References & Links”]
The Boscobel serves as a notable example of a 19th-century Great Lakes vessel that underwent multiple adaptations throughout its operational life. From its construction as a propeller vessel to its later use as a schooner-barge, the ship exemplifies the dynamic demands of maritime trade during the era. Despite surviving numerous incidents, the Boscobel met its end in the stormy waters of Lake Huron, contributing to the rich tapestry of Great Lakes maritime history.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
Identification & Site Information
- Wreck Name: Boscobel
- Official Number: 31430
- Vessel Type: Schooner-barge (originally a propeller vessel)
- Year Built: 1866
- Builder: S.V.D. Philbrook
- Construction Location: Peshtigo, Wisconsin (initially), with upper works completed in Chicago, Illinois
- Material: Wood
- Dimensions:
- Length: 168.5 feet (51.4 m)
- Beam: 30.6 feet (9.3 m)
- Depth: 17.3 feet (5.3 m)
- Tonnage:
- Gross: 503.89 tons (as a barge)
- 570 tons after re-rigging as a three-mast schooner
- Final Disposition: Sank in Lake Huron near Alpena, Michigan, in 1900
- Location: Lake Huron, near Alpena, Michigan
Vessel Type Description
The Boscobel was a versatile wooden vessel that underwent multiple transformations to adapt to the changing demands of Great Lakes shipping. Initially constructed as a propeller vessel in 1866, it was later converted into a barge and subsequently re-rigged as a three-mast schooner. These changes allowed the vessel to remain operational in the evolving maritime trade environment of the late 19th century.
History
The Boscobel was launched in December 1866 in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, with its upper works completed in Chicago, Illinois. Initially constructed for the Peshtigo Company, it served the lumber trade between Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Chicago, Illinois, at speeds of 8–11 miles per hour.
The vessel’s early history included a fire on September 3, 1869, in the St. Clair River, which claimed three lives and destroyed its cargo. Despite the tragedy, the Boscobel was raised and dismantled, eventually rebuilt in 1876 as a barge in Algonac, Michigan. Its gross tonnage increased to 503.89 tons, and it was capable of carrying up to 65,000 feet of lumber.
Further modifications in 1883 transformed the vessel into a three-mast schooner with expanded dimensions and a gross tonnage of 570 tons. Throughout its service life, the Boscobel encountered several incidents, including a sinking near Turtle Light in Lake Erie in 1895, from which it was salvaged and returned to service.
In September 1900, while carrying a load of coal, the Boscobel sprang a leak during a storm in Lake Huron and sank near Alpena, Michigan. Its final enrollment was surrendered in 1903, marked “sold foreign,” with reports suggesting it sank permanently in 1904.
Final Disposition
The Boscobel sank in Lake Huron in September 1900 after taking on water during a storm. Although it was initially thought salvageable, it was eventually abandoned. Details of its final sinking remain unclear, though the vessel’s long history of incidents culminated in its loss near Alpena, Michigan.
NOTMARs & Advisories
• Current Status: The wreck site is not known to pose a navigational hazard, and there are no active Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) related to the site.
Located By & Date
The wreck is believed to have been located near Alpena, Michigan, after the 1900 sinking. Modern exploration details or specific discoveries are not documented.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Given its age, the condition of the Boscobel is unknown, and no reports detail its accessibility for diving or exploration. The wreck remains of interest to maritime historians and potentially to divers, depending on its state and location.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Ships Database
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
Conclusion
The Boscobel serves as a notable example of a 19th-century Great Lakes vessel that underwent multiple adaptations throughout its operational life. From its construction as a propeller vessel to its later use as a schooner-barge, the ship exemplifies the dynamic demands of maritime trade during the era. Despite surviving numerous incidents, the Boscobel met its end in the stormy waters of Lake Huron, contributing to the rich tapestry of Great Lakes maritime history.
Keywords
Boscobel, schooner-barge, Great Lakes shipwreck, Lake Huron storm, 19th-century maritime disaster, Great Lakes lumber transport, shipwreck salvage, Alpena Michigan.
The BOSCOBEL was built in 1866 in Pestigo, Wisconsin, as a propeller. It had a round stern and upper works built by Edward McGraw in Chicago, Illinois. The vessel was constructed by S.V.D. Philbrook and owned by the Pestigo Company, with Thomas H. Beebe as the president, located in Chicago. The BOSCOBEL was primarily used for carrying lumber between Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Chicago, Illinois, at a speed of 8-11 miles per hour. boscobel-us-31410 1900-09-14 07:48:00