Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Charles Mears
- Type: Wooden screw steamer
- Year Built: 1856
- Builder: Luther Moses, Cleveland, Ohio
- Dimensions: 127 ft × 26 ft × 8 ft (38.7 m × 7.9 m × 2.4 m)
- Registered Tonnage: Approximately 272 tons
- Location: Muskegon, Lake Michigan
- Official Number: None recorded
- Original Owners: Not specified
- Number of Masts: Not specified
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden screw steamer, used for passenger and freight service on the Great Lakes.
Description
Originally constructed in 1856, the Charles Mears was lengthened in 1862 and underwent significant repairs in 1863. Measuring approximately 38.7 m (127 ft) long, 7.9 m (26 ft) wide, and 2.4 m (8 ft) deep, she displaced roughly 272 tons. Steam-powered, she served as a regional workhorse out of Muskegon and surrounding ports.
History
The Charles Mears operated on Lake Michigan during the height of regional steam navigation. On the morning of August 7, 1864, while moored at Muskegon, the vessel caught fire and burned at her dock. The blaze completely destroyed her. No crew members were lost in the incident, but the vessel was declared a total loss.
Significant Incidents
- August 7, 1864: The Charles Mears caught fire while moored at Muskegon, resulting in total destruction.
Final Disposition
The Charles Mears was consumed by fire and destroyed while at dock at Muskegon on August 7, 1864.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No underwater wreck remains have been reported; being destroyed at dock, she likely left little to no trace in the water.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”charles-mears-1856″ title=”References & Links”]
The Charles Mears illustrates the ever-present threat of dockside fire in the steam-ship era, even when vessels were seemingly secure at port. Fully destroyed at Muskegon in 1864, her loss underscores how industrial waterfront operations could rapidly become catastrophic. Though her remains are unlikely to lie in the lake, her story contributes to our understanding of Great Lakes maritime safety in the 19th century.
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: Charles Mears
- Registration Number(s): None recorded
- Date Built and Launched: Built in 1856 (lengthened in 1862; major repairs in 1863) by Luther Moses, Cleveland, Ohio (wikitree.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Measurements: 127 ft × 26 ft × 8 ft (38.7 m × 7.9 m × 2.4 m); approximately 272 tons (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Date Lost: August 7, 1864
- Place Lost: At Muskegon, Lake Michigan (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Cause of Loss: Destroyed by fire at dock (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Cargo: None at time of loss
- Crew: No casualties reported
- Ownership: Not specified
Vessel Type
Wooden screw steamer, used for passenger and freight service on the Great Lakes.
Description
Originally constructed in 1856, the Charles Mears was lengthened in 1862 and underwent significant repairs in 1863. Measuring approximately 38.7 m (127 ft) long, 7.9 m (26 ft) wide, and 2.4 m (8 ft) deep, she displaced roughly 272 tons. Steam-powered, she served as a regional workhorse out of Muskegon and surrounding ports.
History
The Charles Mears operated on Lake Michigan during the height of regional steam navigation. On the morning of August 7, 1864, while moored at Muskegon, the vessel caught fire and burned at her dock. The blaze completely destroyed her. No crew members were lost in the incident, but the vessel was declared a total loss (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com, wikitree.com).
Final Disposition
The Charles Mears was consumed by fire and destroyed while at dock at Muskegon on August 7, 1864.
Located By & Date Found
No underwater wreck remains have been reported; being destroyed at dock, she likely left little to no trace in the water.
Notmars & Advisories
No navigational markers or hazards associated with her loss remain.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – “J” entries (including Charles Mears) (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Encyclopedia of Civil War Shipwrecks (archive reference) (archive.org)
Conclusion
The Charles Mears illustrates the ever-present threat of dockside fire in the steam-ship era, even when vessels were seemingly secure at port. Fully destroyed at Muskegon in 1864, her loss underscores how industrial waterfront operations could rapidly become catastrophic. Though her remains are unlikely to lie in the lake, her story contributes to our understanding of Great Lakes maritime safety in the 19th century.
Keywords: Charles Mears, Muskegon steamship, dock fire, 1864, Lake Michigan
Categories: Great Lakes Shipwrecks • 19th Century Steam Vessels • Dockside Fire Incidents
Glossary Terms:
- Screw Steamer: A steamship propelled by a screw-type propeller.
- Dock Fire: A fire that occurs while a vessel is moored, often devastating wooden ships.
- Lengthened: A process of extending a ship’s hull to increase cargo or passenger capacity.