Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Cherokee (originally Lexington, renamed in 1849)
- Type: Wooden-hulled two-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1835
- Builder: Oswego, New York
- Dimensions: Approx. 103 ft × 24 ft × 9 ft (31.4 × 7.3 × 2.7 m); ~204 tons (old measure)
- Registered Tonnage: 204 tons (old measure)
- Location: 7 miles south of Manistee, Michigan
- Official Number: None documented
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A mid-19th century wooden schooner designed for bulk freight—predominantly lumber—across the Great Lakes.
Description
At approximately 204 tons old measurement, Cherokee carried two masts, with straightforward rigging for lumber-hauling voyages. Built for capacity rather than speed, she was typical of schooners of the era.
History
- 1835: Launched as Lexington at Oswego, NY.
- 1849: Rebuilt by Gibson at Racine, Wisconsin; renamed Cherokee.
- 1856 (26 Nov): Departed from Manistee bound for Chicago with a large lumber cargo. During a violent gale off Manistee, she foundered—overwhelmed by high seas and wind—not far from shore. Of her 10–14 souls on board (five crew, five passengers), only the captain survived.
Significant Incidents
- Foundered in a gale on 26 November 1856, resulting in heavy casualties with only the captain surviving.
Final Disposition
- The schooner sank; the wreck was not salvaged. Only flotsam and the tragic survival of the captain remain as testament to the event.
- Despite being near shore, no significant wreck remains are documented; strong wave action likely destroyed or dispersed her remnants.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern discovery or survey; presumed lost to the depths off Manistee. The passage of time and shifting lakebeds make archaeological recovery unlikely.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”cherokee-lexington” title=”References & Links”]
The tragedy of the Cherokee is one of the Great Lakes’ early disasters, illustrating the lethal combination of overloaded lumber cargoes and sudden storms. Even near coastal waters, unpowered vessels of her size stood little chance in November gales. The scant survival—only the captain—amplifies the human cost of maritime commerce in the mid-19th century. Though the wreck is unrecovered, her story remains a somber chapter in Lake Michigan history.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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