Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Calumet US 126237

The Calumet sank during a blizzard on Thanksgiving Eve 1889. All crew were rescued, but the wreck remains unmarked beneath Lake Michigan’s waves.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Calumet
  • Type: U.S. propeller steamer
  • Year Built: 1884
  • Builder: Union Dry Dock Co., Buffalo, NY
  • Dimensions: 256.66 × 37.16 × 19.66 ft
  • Registered Tonnage: 1,526 GT; wooden hull (hull no. 38)
  • Location: Off Fort Sheridan, Lake Michigan
  • Coordinates: Approximately 1,000 yards off Fort Sheridan
  • Official Number: 126237

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Calumet was a wooden propeller steamer, designed for cargo transport across the Great Lakes.

Description

Built in 1884 by Union Dry Dock Co. in Buffalo, NY, the Calumet measured 256.66 feet in length, 37.16 feet in beam, and had a depth of 19.66 feet. It had a gross tonnage of 1,526 GT and was constructed with a wooden hull.

History

The Calumet was primarily used for transporting coal and other cargo across the Great Lakes. On the evening of November 27, 1889, it departed from Buffalo, New York, bound for Milwaukee.

Significant Incidents

  • November 27, 1889: The vessel ran aground during a severe blizzard approximately 1,000 yards off Fort Sheridan, Illinois, after suffering hull damage in the Detroit River.

Final Disposition

After the rescue of its crew, the Calumet broke apart and sank. By the following morning, only the stem and sternpost were visible above water. The wreck site remains uncharted and is considered a hazard.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck site is located off Fort Sheridan in Lake Michigan. Reports indicate that it poses no navigational hazard, and the site remains largely undisturbed and obscured underwater.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”calumet-us-126237″ title=”References & Links”]

The Calumet represents a significant maritime incident, with its dramatic rescue earning historic recognition. The submerged remnants offer potential for archaeological documentation and heritage interpretation.

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 & Build Data

  • Registry: U.S. propeller steamer
  • Builder: Union Dry Dock Co., Buffalo, NY
  • Year Built: 1884
  • Dimensions: 256.66 × 37.16 × 19.66 ft
  • Gross Tonnage: 1,526 GT; wooden hull (hull no. 38)

Final Voyage & Loss

  • Date: Evening of November 27, 1889 (Thanksgiving Eve)
  • Route: Departed Buffalo, New York, en route to Milwaukee with coal cargo
  • Weather: Caught in a severe blizzard with heavy sleet, snow, and gale-force winds
  • Incident: Ran aground (c.10:30 pm) on a shoal approximately 1,000 yd off Fort Sheridan, IL—about 10 mi north of Evanston—after suffering hull damage previously in the Detroit River (Transportation History, SoundCloud)
  • Crew: 18 persons on board

Rescue Effort

  • Rescue executed: morning of November 28, 1889 by U.S. Life-Saving Service Station Evanston
    • Led by Captain Lawrence O. Lawson with a crew of Northwestern University students (MyCG, Transportation History)
    • Lifeboat transported by train, then dragged down steep ravine, launched under extreme conditions, and executed three perilous trips through icy breakers to rescue all 18 survivors (MyCG)
  • Recognition: Lawson and six student surfmen received Congressional Gold Lifesaving Medals—first time awarded to an entire crew (MyCG)

Final Disposition

  • Aftermath: Steamship broke apart and sank soon after rescue; by the next morning only the stem and sternpost remained visible (MyCG)
  • Wreck location: Roughly 1,000 yd off Fort Sheridan; uncharted as a hazard
  • Salvage: None—remains lost beneath Lake Michigan’s winter waves

Site & Environmental Status

  • Known wreck site: Off Fort Sheridan, Lake Michigan
  • Site condition: Post-1889 reports indicate no navigational hazard; no known subsequent survey or debris recovery
  • Protection status: Not formally protected, but the site remains largely undisturbed and obscured underwater

Sources & Documentation

  • Transportation History article: rescue timeline and grounding details (Transportation History)
  • U.S. Life-Saving Service Medal citation and procedure narrative (MyCG)
  • Highland Park History oral accounts of rescue logistics (SoundCloud)

Research & Survey Recommendations

  • Archival searches:
    • The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and local Lake County newspapers around Thanksgiving 1889 for eyewitness and rescue coverage
    • U.S. Life-Saving Service station logs, specifically at Evanston (District 11)
  • Navigational charts:
    • Historic U.S. Coast Survey and NOAA charts may note the wreck site or submerged debris
  • Remote-sensing survey:
    • Side-scan sonar and magnetometer sweep between 500–1,500 m offshore near Fort Sheridan to detect debris field
  • ROV dive reconnaissance:
    • If sonar identifies anomalies, deploy low-impact ROV to document timber hull remains or metal fittings
  • Heritage commemoration:
    • Potential public interpretation: Fort Sheridan, Evanston station, or Northwestern University might add signage or programmatic materials to honor the dramatic rescue

Summary

The Calumet, a wooden propeller steamer built in 1884, sank amid a brutal blizzard on Thanksgiving Eve, November 27, 1889. The U.S. Life-Saving Service of Evanston heroically rescued all 18 crew members in extreme conditions—earning historic recognition. The vessel broke apart and sank, leaving no trace except submerged remnants off Fort Sheridan. Though unmarked today, the site embodies a dramatic maritime rescue and offers opportunity for archaeological documentation and heritage interpretation.

calumet-us-126237 1889-11-27 12:50:00