Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: C.G. King
- Type: Wooden schooner-barge (two-masted)
- Year Built: 1870
- Builder: Rust & Arnold shipyard, South Saginaw, Michigan
- Dimensions: Length 163 ft (49.7 m); Beam 29 ft (8.8 m); Depth of hold 11 ft (3.4 m)
- Registered Tonnage: Gross 457 GT; Net 435 NT
- Location: Near Lorain, Ohio
- Official Number: 5847
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The C.G. King was a non-self-propelled wooden barge, designed for bulk freight transport and to be towed by steamers. Its simple two-mast schooner rig enabled minimal independent navigation when not under tow, reflecting economic designs of late-19th-century maritime trade.
Description
At 163 ft long with a 29 ft beam and 11 ft hold depth, C.G. King was sizable for a wooden barge—built to carry heavy commodities like coal, grain, or other bulk goods. Lacking its own propulsion, it was towed by tug or steam-powered vessels and managed via basic sail rigging when needed.
History
Constructed in 1870 at South Saginaw, Michigan, she spent over 40 years in service hauling bulk cargo. As a schooner-barge, she operated frequently in pairs or convoys, towed by steamers across Lake Erie and adjacent waterways.
Significant Incidents
Significant incidents include:
- Parted tow lines amid a blizzard-like storm on November 14, 1913.
- Driven ashore near Lorain, Ohio, and broke into three sections.
- Declared unsalvageable and disintegrated completely within two weeks.
Final Disposition
On November 14, 1913, as part of a westbound tow by the steamer Samson (alongside the schooner C.H. Johnson), the C.G. King parted her tow lines amid a blizzard-like storm near Lorain, Ohio. Driven ashore, she broke into three sections and was battered beyond repair over the next fortnight, eventually disintegrating completely.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No underwater remains have been located, as the wreck was a surface grounding and subsequent breakup near the shore. The loss was recorded in November 1913 and promptly declared unsalvageable.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”c-g-king-us-5847″ title=”References & Links”]
The C.G. King, a 163-ft wooden schooner-barge built in 1870, exemplified the bulk cargo transportation of the late 19th century. In the deadly aftermath of the Great Storm of 1913 off Lorain, Ohio, she broke away from her tow, grounded, and shattered into pieces over two weeks, her loss marking yet another casualty of that historic gale. With no remains to dive upon, her story lives on only through historical records and shipwreck databases.
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
- Name: C.G. KING
- Type: Wooden schooner-barge (two-masted)
- Official Number: 5847
- Built: 1870, Rust & Arnold shipyard, South Saginaw, Michigan
- Dimensions: Length 163 ft (49.7 m); beam 29 ft (8.8 m); depth 11 ft (3.4 m)
- Tonnage: Gross 457 GT; Net 435 NT
- Final Voyage & Loss: Driven ashore and broken up following the Great Lakes “Big Storm” on November 14, 1913, near Lorain, Ohio (Lake Erie). The crew survived; the wreck was abandoned as unsalvageable and broke apart within two weeks (alcheminc.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Vessel Type
The C.G. King was a non-self-propelled wooden barge, designed for bulk freight transport and to be towed by steamers. Its simple two-mast schooner rig enabled minimal independent navigation when not under tow, reflecting economic designs of late-19th-century maritime trade.
Description
At 163 ft long with a 29 ft beam and 11 ft hold depth, C.G. King was sizable for a wooden barge—built to carry heavy commodities like coal, grain, or other bulk goods. Lacking its own propulsion, it was towed by tug or steam-powered vessels and managed via basic sail rigging when needed.
History
Constructed in 1870 at South Saginaw, Michigan, she spent over 40 years in service hauling bulk cargo. As a schooner-barge, she operated frequently in pairs or convoys, towed by steamers across Lake Erie and adjacent waterways.
Final Disposition
On November 14, 1913, as part of a westbound tow by the steamer Samson (alongside the schooner C.H. Johnson), the C.G. King parted her tow lines amid a blizzard-like storm near Lorain, Ohio. Driven ashore, she broke into three sections and was battered beyond repair over the next fortnight, eventually disintegrating completely (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com).
Located By & Date Found
No underwater remains have been located, as the wreck was a surface grounding and subsequent breakup near the shore. The loss was recorded in November 1913 and promptly declared unsalvageable.
Notmars & Advisories
The site was in shallow, coastal waters and would have posed a navigational hazard until debris was cleared. No subsequent Notice to Mariners or official navigation markers are known, as the wreck materially vanished after breaking apart.
Resources & Links
- Alchem, Inc. Lake Erie Shipwreck Map – identification and final location near Lorain (alcheminc.com)
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (C‑Indexed) – details of grounding, towing context, and break-up description (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (W‑Indexed) – narrative referencing tow by Samson and crew survival via makeshift raft (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Conclusion
The C.G. King, a 163‑ft wooden schooner‑barge built in 1870, exemplified the bulk cargo transportation of the late 19th century. In the deadly aftermath of the Great Storm of 1913 off Lorain, Ohio, she broke away from her tow, grounded, and shattered into pieces over two weeks, her loss marking yet another casualty of that historic gale. With no remains to dive upon, her story lives on only through historical records and shipwreck databases.
c-g-king-us-5847 1913-11-14 13:03:00