Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Brunswick
- Type: Iron bulk propeller freighter
- Year Built: 1881
- Builder: Detroit Dry Dock Co., Wyandotte, Michigan
- Dimensions: 235 ft (71.6 m) × 35.6 ft (10.8 m) × 15.6 ft (4.8 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 1,120 gross tons
- Location: Off Dunkirk, New York
- Coordinates: Estimated near 42° 29′ N, 79° 18′ W
- Official Number: U.S. 3148
- Original Owners: Cavenaugh Wrecking Co. (salvage rights, 1894)
- Number of Masts: None
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Vessel Type
The Brunswick was an iron-hulled bulk propeller designed for the rapidly expanding Great Lakes freight trade of the 1880s.
Description
Description
The Brunswick was built at the Detroit Dry Dock Company’s Wyandotte Yard, embodying a transitional generation of Great Lakes carriers. It featured a modern iron hull combined with a traditional topside configuration. The vessel had a triple-compartment hold and steam propulsion, enabling efficient carriage of bulk cargoes such as coal, grain, and lumber across long routes between Duluth and Buffalo.
History
History
Launched on May 5, 1881, the Brunswick entered service that summer, quickly joining the busy Buffalo–Duluth trade route. Her freight rates were typical for the era, around $1.50 per ton for coal and $4.50 per thousand board feet for lumber, reflecting the vessel’s capacity for high-volume, low-cost shipment. Her iron construction and mechanical reliability were considered cutting-edge for Great Lakes service at the time.
On November 12, 1881, while bound upbound toward Duluth loaded with approximately 1,700 tons of coal, the Brunswick collided with the three-masted schooner Carlingford roughly 12 miles off Dunkirk, New York. Conflicting passing signals in fog led to the collision. Both vessels suffered fatal damage and sank, with the Carlingford nearly intact and the Brunswick rapidly sinking by the bow. Three of the Brunswick‘s crew were lost. Reports in the Buffalo Express and Marine Review initially overstated her cargo capacity as 5,000 tons; this was later corrected to her actual registered tonnage of 1,120.
Significant Incidents
Significant Incidents
- Collision with the schooner Carlingford on November 12, 1881, leading to the sinking of both vessels.
- Three crew fatalities during the incident.
Final Disposition
Final Disposition
The Brunswick settled on the lakebed off Dunkirk in deep water, reportedly upright. Its position was marked but never officially charted. The wreck was later sought by salvage parties under the Cavenaugh Wrecking Company in October 1894, using tugs Puritan and Stauber. Despite dredging and sounding efforts, there is no record of recovery. The remains are presumed unsalvaged, possibly buried or broken up by winter ice movement and storms.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Current Condition & Accessibility
The Brunswick has not been definitively located by modern survey. Historical coordinates and sonar investigations in the Dunkirk area (NOAA, 2010s) have yet to confirm its site. The wreck’s probable iron signature may be masked by sediment and later dumping grounds. Access to the site is not established as the wreck remains unconfirmed.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”brunswick-us-3148″ title=”References & Links”]
Closing Summary
The Brunswick represents a significant piece of Great Lakes maritime history, with its loss highlighting the dangers of navigation in foggy conditions. The wreck remains a subject of interest for historical research and potential exploration.
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.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
Description
The Brunswick was an iron-hulled bulk propeller designed for the rapidly expanding Great Lakes freight trade of the 1880s. Built at the Detroit Dry Dock Company’s Wyandotte Yard, she embodied a transitional generation of Great Lakes carriers — combining a modern iron hull with traditional topside configuration. Her triple-compartment hold and steam propulsion enabled efficient carriage of bulk cargoes such as coal, grain, and lumber across long routes between Duluth and Buffalo.History
Launched on May 5, 1881, the Brunswick entered service that summer, quickly joining the busy Buffalo–Duluth trade route. Her freight rates were typical for the era — around $1.50 per ton for coal and $4.50 per thousand board feet for lumber — reflecting the vessel’s capacity for high-volume, low-cost shipment. Her iron construction and mechanical reliability were considered cutting-edge for Great Lakes service at the time. On November 12, 1881, while bound upbound toward Duluth loaded with approximately 1,700 tons of coal, the Brunswick collided with the three-masted schooner Carlingford roughly 12 miles off Dunkirk, New York. Conflicting passing signals in fog led to the collision. Both vessels suffered fatal damage and sank — the Carlingford nearly intact, the Brunswick rapidly by the bow. Three of the Brunswick‘s crew were lost. Reports in the Buffalo Express and Marine Review initially overstated her cargo capacity as 5,000 tons; later corrected to her actual registered tonnage of 1,120.Final Dispositions
The Brunswick settled on the lakebed off Dunkirk in deep water, reportedly upright. Its position was marked but never officially charted. The wreck was later sought by salvage parties under the Cavenaugh Wrecking Company (Buffalo) in October 1894, using tugs Puritan and Stauber. Despite dredging and sounding efforts, there is no record of recovery. The remains are presumed unsalvaged, possibly buried or broken up by winter ice movement and storms.Located By & Date Found
The Brunswick has not been definitively located by modern survey. Historical coordinates and sonar investigations in the Dunkirk area (NOAA, 2010s) have yet to confirm its site. The wreck’s probable iron signature may be masked by sediment and later dumping grounds.Notmars & Advisories
No official Notices to Mariners are presently associated with the Brunswick. Standard navigation charts for the Dunkirk area list no submerged hazard of record at the presumed location.Dive Information
Access: Not established (wreck unconfirmed) Entry Point: Dunkirk Harbor or Port Dover area (historical search zone) Conditions: Deep-water; zero visibility expected if site located Depth Range: Unknown (est. 90–120 ft / 27–37 m) Emergency Contacts: U.S. Coast Guard Sector Buffalo (VHF 16 / (716) 843-9527) Permits: Required for excavation or artifact disturbance under U.S. law Dive Support: None — site unlocatedCrew & Casualty Memorials
Three lives were lost in the sinking. Crew names are not preserved in official registry summaries; archival newspaper obituaries from Buffalo and Ashtabula are recommended for further identification. Find A Grave and Chronicling America may yield additional detail.Documented Statements & Extracts
“About midnight the iron propeller Brunswick and the schooner Carlingford collided off Dunkirk. The propeller sank within minutes, taking three men down. The schooner also went down shortly after.” — Buffalo Express, November 14 1881.
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
Official Number: 3148 (U.S.) Enrolled at Buffalo, New York, 1881 Built: Detroit Dry Dock Co. Yard No. 15, Wyandotte, MI Insured for $60,000 (partial) under Great Lakes Underwriters Association (G.L.U.A.) Cavenaugh Wrecking Co. acquired rights 1894 for salvage attempt (see Marine Record, 1894)Site Documentation & Imaging
No confirmed imaging or sonar data exist for Brunswick. The site remains unverified. Regional NOAA and private surveys (NOAA ERIE-MAPS initiative) list a potential metallic anomaly east of Dunkirk as “probable iron freighter (unidentified).”Image Gallery
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Vessels Database (BGSU/HCGL)
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Chronicling America (Library of Congress)
- ShipwreckWorld
- Detroit Historical Society
References
- Buffalo Express, “Disaster on Lake Erie: Propeller Brunswick Lost,” Nov 14 1881.
- Marine Record, “Cavenaugh Company to Raise the Brunswick,” Oct 1894.
- Detroit Dry Dock Co. Yard Ledger (Wyandotte) — construction list 1881.
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes, vessel index BRUNSWICK (1881).
- David Swayze, Great Lakes Shipwreck File, 2003 edition.