Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Circassian
- Type: Wooden-hulled schooner, single-deck
- Year Built: 1856
- Builder: Charles Stevens, Irving, New York
- Dimensions: 135 ft length; 366 tons (old style)
- Registered Tonnage: 366 tons
- Location: White Shoal, near Beaver Island, Lake Michigan
- Original Owners: Walker & Clark, Buffalo
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
An average-sized mid-19th-century cargo schooner built for carrying bulk goods—such as grain—across the Great Lakes. At 135 ft, she was representative of the working merchant fleets of her era.
Description
The Circassian was a wooden-hulled schooner designed for cargo transport, particularly grain. Her construction reflected the typical design of the period, emphasizing functionality and durability for Great Lakes navigation.
History
- 1856: Enrolled in Buffalo, NY
- Up to 1860: Owned by Walker & Clark, Buffalo
- 22 November 1860: Ended her service when caught in a late-November gale. She was driven onto White Shoal, close to Beaver Island, where she grounded (“stranded and went to pieces”) due to intense wave action.
Significant Incidents
- Stranded in a storm on 22 November 1860, resulting in total loss.
- No casualties reported during the incident.
Final Disposition
- Declared a total wreck; her hull was battered into pieces by wave forces.
- No salvage was documented or attempted formally; the remains likely dispersed or submerged.
Current Condition & Accessibility
- No underwater archaeological survey has mapped her remains.
- Given the shoal’s location and dynamic environment, structural remnants have either been buried or broken apart and carried off.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”circassian-1856″ title=”References & Links”]
The Circassian’s demise highlights the deadly efficiency of late-season storms on the Great Lakes. She served a brief four years before being overwhelmed against White Shoal under a November gale. Though unremarkable at the time—no lives lost and no salvage logged—her story adds to the lore of Beaver Island’s treacherous shoals, reminding modern mariners of the persistent navigation dangers in that region.
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: Circassian
- Year built: 1856, Irving, New York by Charles Stevens
- Type: Wooden-hulled schooner, single-deck
- Dimensions: 135 ft length; 366 tons (old style)
- Date lost: 22 November 1860
- Location: White Shoal, near Beaver Island, Lake Michigan
- Loss type: Stranded in a storm and broke apart
- Casualties: None
- Cargo: Grain at the time of loss (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Facebook, Facebook)
Vessel Type & Description
An average-sized mid-19th-century cargo schooner built for carrying bulk goods—such as grain—across the Great Lakes. At 135 ft, she was representative of the working merchant fleets of her era.
History & Final Voyage
- 1856: Enrolled in Buffalo, NY
- Up to 1860: Owned by Walker & Clark, Buffalo
- 22 November 1860: Ended her service when caught in a late-November gale. She was driven onto White Shoal, close to Beaver Island, where she grounded (“stranded and went to pieces”) due to intense wave action(Facebook).
Final Disposition
- Declared a total wreck; her hull was battered into pieces by wave forces.
- No salvage was documented or attempted formally; the remains likely dispersed or submerged.
Located By & Survey Status
- No underwater archaeological survey has mapped her remains.
- Given the shoal’s location and dynamic environment, structural remnants have either been buried or broken apart and carried off.
Notmar & Navigational Advisories
- White Shoal is currently noted on navigation charts as a hazard.
- Mariners are advised to exercise caution, especially during late-season storms in November.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – entry states: “366 t. Date of loss: 1860, Nov 22. Place of loss: White Shoals, near Beaver Isl. Lake: Michigan. Type of loss: storm. Loss of life: none. Carrying: grain.” (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, vgm.liverpool.ac.uk, internationalmaritimelibrary.org)
- Detroit Free Press (2 Dec 1860) mentioned she had “pretty much all but broken up, her masts had fallen…” (Facebook)
Conclusion
The Circassian‘s demise highlights the deadly efficiency of late-season storms on the Great Lakes. She served a brief four years before being overwhelmed against White Shoal under a November gale. Though unremarkable at the time—no lives lost and no salvage logged—her story adds to the lore of Beaver Island’s treacherous shoals, reminding modern mariners of the persistent navigation dangers in that region.
Keywords & Categories
- Keywords: Circassian schooner wreck, White Shoal, Beaver Island storm, 1860 shipwreck
- Categories: Wooden cargo schooners, shoal groundings, late‑season Great Lakes losses
- Glossary:
- Shoal: Submerged or near-surface hazard posing grounding risks.
- Stranded: Forced aground without the intention to beach.
- Old-style tonnage: Cargo volume metric predating modern gross tonnage.