Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Citizen
- Type: Wooden-hulled schooner, single-deck, two-masted
- Year Built: 1835
- Builder: John Richards
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: ~160 tons (later remeasured to 149 tons after 1857 rebuilds)
- Location: Fairport Harbor, Ohio, Lake Erie
- Official Number: 4273
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A typical early–19th-century Great Lakes schooner, built for freight work such as hauling lumber, grain, and general cargo.
Description
Wooden hull with two masts suited to fore-and-aft sailing. Simple construction, single deck layout, no steam power or auxiliary machinery. Period-typical lines with shallow draft for inland lake operations.
History
- 1847: Rebuilt after 12 years service
- 1849: Enrolled at Presque Isle, PA
- 25 May 1853: Went ashore ~6 miles north of Buffalo
- 8 Oct 1853: Collision with schooner Trade Wind
- 1857: Major rebuilding; tonnage adjusted to 149 tons
- 1860–1864: Ownership transferred to C.M. Reed and William Bone in Erie
- 6 May 1864: Damaged in Detroit River when struck by two other schooners
- 1865: Official tonnage recalculated (116 gross)
- 1866: Ownership recorded in Erie and Buffalo
- By 1873: Considered among the oldest operational vessels afloat on the Great Lakes
Significant Incidents
- Loss Date: 15 April 1873
- Loss Method: Torn from moorings during a storm and sank
Final Disposition
Sank on 15 April 1873 after being torn from her moorings at Fairport Harbor during a high wind storm. While the hull sank, her cargo and fittings were salvaged quickly. A salvage scow removed gear on 26 April, and the wreck was removed by 28 June.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Not applicable — player was removed shortly after sinking. No known underwater remains exist.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”citizen-us-4273″ title=”References & Links”]
The Citizen was a venerable schooner of the pre–steam era, with nearly 40 years of service across Great Lakes routes—remarkable longevity in a time of rapid technological transition. Though her loss was unremarkable (a storm-driven sinking), she is remembered for her distinguished service and age at the time of her demise.
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: Citizen
- Official Number: 4273
- Year Built: 1835
- Built at: Erie, Pennsylvania by John Richards
- Type: Wooden-hulled schooner, single-deck, two-masted
- Tonnage (old-style): ~160 tons (later remeasured to 149 tons after 1857 rebuilds)
- Final Loss Location: Fairport Harbor, Ohio, Lake Erie
- Loss Date: 15 April 1873
- Loss Method: Torn from moorings during a storm and sank
- Wreck Removal: Equipment salvaged via scow Pearl on 26 April; wreck cleared by 28 June 1873
Vessel Type
A typical early‑19th‑century Great Lakes schooner, built for freight work such as hauling lumber, grain, and general cargo.
Description
Wooden hull with two masts suited to fore-and-aft sailing. Simple construction, single deck layout, no steam power or auxiliary machinery. Period-typical lines with shallow draft for inland lake operations.
History & Chronology
- 1847: Rebuilt after 12 years service
- 1849: Enrolled at Presque Isle, PA
- 25 May 1853: Went ashore ~6 miles north of Buffalo
- 8 Oct 1853: Collision with schooner Trade Wind
- 1857: Major rebuilding; tonnage adjusted to 149 tons
- 1860–1864: Ownership transferred to C.M. Reed and William Bone in Erie
- 6 May 1864: Damaged in Detroit River when struck by two other schooners
- 1865: Official tonnage recalculated (116 gross)
- 1866: Ownership recorded in Erie and Buffalo
- By 1873: Considered among the oldest operational vessels afloat on the Great Lakes
Final Disposition
Sank on 15 April 1873 after being torn from her moorings at Fairport Harbor during a high wind storm. While the hull sank, her cargo and fittings were salvaged quickly. A salvage scow removed gear on 26 April, and the wreck was removed by 28 June.
Located By & Date Found
Not applicable — player was removed shortly after sinking. No known underwater remains exist.
Notmars & Advisories
None. The wreck posed no navigational hazard after removal.
Resources & Links
- Erik Heyl, Early American Steamers
- Steamboat Era in the Muskokas by Richard Tatley
- Entries from C. Patrick Labadie’s collection and enrollment records
Shore Dive Information
Not applicable — no wreck remains; site has been cleared.
Conclusion
The Citizen was a venerable schooner of the pre‑steam era, with nearly 40 years of service across Great Lakes routes—remarkable longevity in a time of rapid technological transition. Though her loss was unremarkable (a storm-driven sinking), she is remembered for her distinguished service and age at the time of her demise.
Keywords & Glossary Terms
- Early Great Lakes schooner | 1830s wooden cargo vessel | Storm‑sunk in harbor | Removed wreck | Fairport Harbor maritime history
Let me know if you’d like to explore her early passenger/cargo manifests, local newspaper coverage of her sinking, or comparisons to other long-lived Great Lakes vessels!
citizen-us-4273 1873-04-15 23:46:00