Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Cherubusco
- Type: Three-masted wooden schooner (barque-rigged by 1854)
- Year Built: 1848
- Builder: T. Hubbell, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Dimensions: Length 114 ft (34.7 m); Beam 27 ft (8.2 m); Depth of hold 9 ft (2.7 m)
- Registered Tonnage: ~255 tons old measurement; later 204 GT by 1865
- Depth at Wreck Site: 3 m / 10 ft
- Location: North Bay (Cherry Bay area), Door County, Wisconsin
- Official Number: US4329
- Original Owners: Anson Eldred of Milwaukee
- Number of Masts: Three
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A mid-19th-century Great Lakes lumber schooner, evolving into barque rigging and later scow conversions—built robust for hauling heavy timber.
Description
Single-deck wooden hull with three masts, rigged as schooner and later barque. Likely featured centerboards and flat-bottomed design suited for heavy cargo and shallow waters.
History
- 1849: Registered in Chicago District as schooner.
- 1853: Sold to Anson Eldred of Milwaukee for US $1,400–4,400.
- 1854: Officially classified as barque.
- 1858: Lost foremast in Lake Michigan storm.
- 1865: Re-measured to 204 gross tons.
- 1866: Converted to scow barge under Eldred & Farr.
- 1868: Registered in Chicago as US4329.
- Oct–Nov 1872: Stranded in Cherry/North Bay while transporting lumber.
- 10 Nov 1872: Beached waterlogged, crew rescued; later broke apart and abandoned.
Significant Incidents
- Stranded and wrecked while lumber-laden on 10 November 1872.
Final Disposition
Beached in North Bay; broke up from wave action. Owners formally abandoned the vessel by early 1873.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Wreck lies in ~3 m (10 ft) of water—visible and known to divers and preservationists. It occupies a shallow, photogenic site suitable for snorkel exploration.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”cherubusco-1848″ title=”References & Links”]
The Cherubusco is a well-preserved shallow-water wreck reflecting the transitional era of 19th-century lumber schooners. Stranded and abandoned with her timber cargo, her remains now sit in North Bay—the lower hull and framing clearly visible, ideal for educational snorkel dives. As a documented and protected site, she offers valuable insight into maritime lumber trade and vessel detailing, with easy access making her one of Door County’s more approachable heritage wrecks.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
Join Shotline to read more →