Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

City of Erie (1845)

Explore the wreck of the City of Erie, a wooden vessel lost in a storm while loading lumber in 1891 near Leland, Michigan.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: City of Erie
  • Type: Wooden vessel
  • Year Built: 1845 (unconfirmed)
  • Builder:
  • Dimensions:
  • Registered Tonnage:
  • Location: Gill’s Pier, near Leland, Michigan
  • Official Number: Unknown (no archival record located)

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Type / Construction: Wooden vessel (exact rig / classification unknown)

Description

Final Cargo (at time of loss): Lumber slabs / timber refuse

History

Date of Wreck / Loss: 27 October 1891

Significant Incidents

Wreck Circumstances:
While loading lumber slabs at Gill’s Pier, City of Erie was overtaken by a sudden storm. Her anchors dragged; she was pushed ashore or forced against pier structures and subsequently wrecked.
Casualties: None known / “No lives lost” in local tradition / sources

Final Disposition

Condition / Site Status: Unknown — no published underwater survey or site documentation found

Current Condition & Accessibility

Notable / Disputed Note: Some local memory or social media mention that you could still read the name on remains after sinking.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”city-of-erie-1845″ title=”References & Links”]

Resource & Archive Collections (for potential follow-up):
– C. Patrick Labadie Collection
– Donald V. Baut Collection
– Edward J. Dowling Collection
– Dossin Great Lakes Museum
– Local Michigan / Leelanau County historical societies, Leland newspapers (e.g. Leland Courier, Traverse City Record‑Eagle)
– Michigan State archives, maritime registries, U.S. National Archives regional maritime records

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.

Name(s): City of Erie
Year Built: 1845 (unconfirmed)
Official / Registry Number: Unknown (no archival record located)
Type / Construction: Wooden vessel (exact rig / classification unknown)
Final Cargo (at time of loss): Lumber slabs / timber refuse
Date of Wreck / Loss: 27 October 1891
Wreck Location: Gill’s Pier, near Leland, Michigan, Lake Michigan
Wreck Circumstances:
While loading lumber slabs at Gill’s Pier, City of Erie was overtaken by a sudden storm. Her anchors dragged; she was pushed ashore or forced against pier structures and subsequently wrecked.
Casualties: None known / “No lives lost” in local tradition / sources
Condition / Site Status: Unknown — no published underwater survey or site documentation found
Notable / Disputed Note: Some local memory or social media mention that you could still read the name on remains after sinking. Facebook
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Resource & Archive Collections (for potential follow-up):
– C. Patrick Labadie Collection
– Donald V. Baut Collection
– Edward J. Dowling Collection
– Dossin Great Lakes Museum
– Local Michigan / Leelanau County historical societies, Leland newspapers (e.g. Leland Courier, Traverse City Record‑Eagle)
– Michigan State archives, maritime registries, U.S. National Archives regional maritime records

city-of-erie-1845 1891-10-27 20:09:00