Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Caroline E. Bailey
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1855
- Builder:
- Dimensions:
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Michigan waters (exact site not fully documented, likely Lake Michigan shoreline)
- Original Owners: Declerque and Dorr, Rochester, New York
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Caroline E. Bailey was a two-masted wooden schooner, common for mid-19th-century Great Lakes shipping, primarily carrying grain, lumber, or general merchandise.
Description
She was built with oak frames and pine planking, fore-and-aft rigged, with a shallow draft suitable for Great Lakes harbours and rivers. The vessel would have had a single deck with an open cargo hold and a modest cabin for her small crew.
History
Launched in 1855, the Caroline E. Bailey operated out of Rochester, New York, and traded across the lakes, likely moving grain or lumber between Michigan and New York ports. On 31 October 1867, during a heavy fall gale, she went ashore somewhere along the Michigan coastline. Reports listed her as a total loss, but no cargo was specified.
No loss of life was reported, suggesting her crew reached shore safely. Details of exactly how she stranded are sparse in available sources, but the powerful storms typical of late October likely overwhelmed the vessel.
Significant Incidents
- Grounded during a heavy fall gale on 31 October 1867.
- No fatalities reported among the crew.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss after grounding. No salvage or rebuilding recorded.
Current Condition & Accessibility
There is no modern diver or archaeological record of the Caroline E. Bailey‘s wreck site.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”caroline-e-bailey-1855″ title=”References & Links”]
The loss of the Caroline E. Bailey highlights the risks of October storms on the Great Lakes, which claimed countless wooden schooners. Owned by Rochester merchants, she served the cross-lake trade until her grounding in 1867, a reminder of the vulnerability of wooden vessels during fall gales.
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
- Vessel Name: Caroline E. Bailey
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year built and launched: 1855
- Owner: Declerque and Dorr, Rochester, New York
- Cargo: Unknown at time of loss
- Date lost: 31 October 1867
- Location: Michigan waters (exact site not fully documented, likely Lake Michigan shoreline)
- Crew: No fatalities reported
Vessel Type
The Caroline E. Bailey was a two-masted wooden schooner, common for mid-19th-century Great Lakes shipping, primarily carrying grain, lumber, or general merchandise.
Description
She was built with oak frames and pine planking, fore-and-aft rigged, with a shallow draft suitable for Great Lakes harbours and rivers. The vessel would have had a single deck with an open cargo hold and a modest cabin for her small crew.
History
Launched in 1855, the Caroline E. Bailey operated out of Rochester, New York, and traded across the lakes, likely moving grain or lumber between Michigan and New York ports. On 31 October 1867, during a heavy fall gale, she went ashore somewhere along the Michigan coastline. Reports listed her as a total loss, but no cargo was specified.
No loss of life was reported, suggesting her crew reached shore safely. Details of exactly how she stranded are sparse in available sources, but the powerful storms typical of late October likely overwhelmed the vessel.
Final Dispositions
Declared a total loss after grounding. No salvage or rebuilding recorded.
Located By & Date Found
There is no modern diver or archaeological record of the Caroline E. Bailey‘s wreck site.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Great Lakes Vessels Index (BGSU)
Conclusion
The loss of the Caroline E. Bailey highlights the risks of October storms on the Great Lakes, which claimed countless wooden schooners. Owned by Rochester merchants, she served the cross-lake trade until her grounding in 1867, a reminder of the vulnerability of wooden vessels during fall gales.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Wooden schooner
- Lake Michigan
- Rochester, NY
- 19th-century shipwreck
- Great Lakes storms
- Grounding
- Maritime history
If you’d like, I can help research possible Michigan coastal newspapers from 1867 for more details — just let me know!
caroline-e-bailey-1855 1867-10-31 12:06:00