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.

Identification Card (Site Style)

Historical Background

The City of Sheboygan was a wooden three-masted schooner launched on July 5, 1871, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. It was built by shipbuilder Frank Hamilton for Christian Raab of Sheboygan. The schooner measured about 135.5 feet in length with a 27.4-foot beam and 10-foot depth of hold, registering approximately 260 gross tons. Originally designed as a lumber carrier for the Great Lakes timber trade, the City of Sheboygan spent over four decades in service, carrying various bulk cargoes. In 1882 the vessel underwent a major repair and was enlarged (likely an hull extension or rebuild to increase capacity), reflecting the common practice of prolonging the working lives of Great Lakes schooners.

Over its career, the City of Sheboygan changed ownership and survived multiple mishaps. Notably, it sank and was raised twice before its final loss. On November 5, 1886, the schooner foundered near Pipe Island off DeTour (at the northern end of Lake Huron); on that occasion the ship’s cook (a woman, name unrecorded) tragically drowned. The vessel was salvaged and returned to service. Several years later, in April 1893, a violent storm at the mouth of Chicago Harbor caused the steamship City of Naples to break free of its moorings and collide with the City of Sheboygan, sinking the schooner in the Chicago River entrance. Again the stout schooner was raised and repaired. These incidents highlight the perilous nature of Great Lakes navigation in the age of sail.

Ownership also evolved over time. By 1894 the City of Sheboygan was owned out of Chicago (a historical photograph from that period shows the vessel during its Chicago tenure). From 1900 until 1915, it was owned by Captain Winand Schlosser of Milwaukee, under whom it likely carried general freight and bulk cargo around Lakes Michigan and Huron. In 1915, Captain Edward M. MacDonald of Toronto purchased the schooner and re-registered it in Canada. At this point the official U.S. registry number (reported as #125218) was replaced by Canadian registration (#C104283, later also cited as #C137894). The vessel’s name is sometimes misspelled in contemporary reports as “City of Cheboygan“, an error likely due to confusion with the city of Cheboygan in Michigan. Despite the changes in flag and ownership, the name City of Sheboygan remained unchanged, honoring the Wisconsin city where she was built.

Final Voyage and Sinking (September 1915)

In late September 1915, the City of Sheboygan embarked on what would be her final voyage. The schooner was heavily loaded with feldspar – approximately 500 to 700 tons – mined near Kingston, Ontario, and was bound for Buffalo, New York. Feldspar (a mineral used in glass and ceramics) was a dense cargo, and later reports noted that City of Sheboygan was overloaded beyond safe capacity. On September 25, 1915, while crossing the eastern end of Lake Ontario, the vessel encountered a sudden and violent storm with heavy seas. Amid the gale, the schooner struggled; according to local accounts, the City of Sheboygan‘s stern struck Big Bar Shoal (a rocky shoal south of Amherst Island) during the storm. Realizing the danger, Captain MacDonald turned the stricken vessel back, attempting to reach shelter behind Amherst Island. It was too late – the schooner was taking on water rapidly. In the pre-dawn hours of September 26, 1915, the City of Sheboygan sprang a leak and foundered just off Nut Island, a small islet near Amherst Island’s coast.

All five persons on board perished in the sinking. The lost complement included Captain Edward MacDonald, who was also the schooner’s owner at the time, and his wife, who was serving as the ship’s cook. The three other crew members were recorded as W. Joyner, J. Lavis, and Robert Milne. There were no survivors from the City of Sheboygan. (One contemporary source indicated these were “all hands” on board, confirming a crew of five.)

Tragic eyewitness attempts at rescue were documented by local residents of Amherst Island. As the schooner floundered in the storm, people on shore realized the crew was in distress. At least two rescue boats were launched by onlookers in valiant efforts to save the sailors, but the raging seas forced them back and both attempts failed. Accounts preserved in the Maritime History of the Great Lakes archives describe how men risked their lives rowing out in the storm only to watch helplessly as the schooner went down. One detailed recollection comes from Joseph Bray, an Amherst Island resident who witnessed the sinking and participated in the rescue efforts. Bray later described the heartbreaking scene of the City of Sheboygan disappearing beneath the waves despite their proximity and the crew’s desperate signals – a vivid first-hand narrative of the disaster (as recounted in local history publications). By the time the storm cleared, wreckage and some cargo had washed ashore on Amherst Island, grim evidence of the schooner’s demise.

Factors contributing to the loss were noted in subsequent investigations. The weather was certainly a major factor: contemporary weather reports indicated a sudden equinoctial gale on September 25–26, 1915, producing high winds and rough waters on eastern Lake Ontario. However, the foundering was likely accelerated by the vessel’s condition and loading. Reports emphasize that City of Sheboygan was heavily overloaded with feldspar and riding low in the water. The impact with Big Bar Shoal may have sprung her hull planks or caused a critical leak. Being an aging wooden schooner (44 years old), she may also have been less resilient to the stresses of the storm. All these factors combined to seal her fate during the final voyage.

Casualty List: The fatalities from the City of Sheboygan wreck are recorded as follows:

• Capt. Edward M. MacDonald – Master and new owner (Toronto).
• Mrs. MacDonald – The captain’s wife, serving as ship’s cook (her first name is not listed in the sources).
• W. Joyner – Crew member (sailor).
• J. Lavis – Crew member (sailor).
• Robert Milne – Crew member (sailor).

All were lost to drowning or exposure when the vessel sank. No one survived to tell the tale of the final moments aboard the schooner.

Wreck Site Discovery and Documentation

The City of Sheboygan‘s wreck lies at approximately N 44° 04.580′, W 76° 44.081′, just off the south side of Amherst Island in Lake Ontario, at a depth of about 90–105 feet (28–32 m). The site is in open water, a few kilometers offshore near a point locally known as Nut Island. After the 1915 sinking, the exact location of the wreck remained uncertain for decades, though its general vicinity was known (fishermen occasionally snagged nets on obstacles in the area). It wasn’t until 1963 that the wreck of the City of Sheboygan was definitively located by divers. A team including Lloyd Shales, Barbara Carson, and John Birtwhistle discovered the intact hull sitting upright on the lakebed in 90+ feet of water. This find confirmed local lore about the schooner’s resting place. Shortly after, in the mid-1960s, some artifacts were removed from the wreck for museum display (a practice more common in that era than today). Notably, the ship’s nameboard (name plate) was recovered by the discoverers and later donated to the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes in Kingston, where it is now displayed. In 1967, divers Vince Murray, Ivor Cura, John Slack, and Sandy Harrison undertook a challenging project to salvage the schooner’s massive anchor, after a fishing vessel’s nets had snagged on it. Using lift barrels and equipment borrowed from the Royal Canadian Navy, they raised the anchor from 95 feet of water. That anchor today stands as an exhibit at the Mariners Park Museum in Prince Edward County (near Picton, Ontario), accompanied by a plaque recounting its recovery.

Aside from those early removals, the City of Sheboygan wreck has been left largely intact for divers to explore. It is often cited as one of the most intact wooden schooner wrecks in the Kingston region of Lake Ontario. The hull sits upright on the bottom, and the deck remains mostly in place, preserving the ship’s layout as it was in 1915. Both the bow and stern are standing, though the stern cabin structure has started to collapse slightly over time. The three wooden masts, which once stood over 100 feet tall, have long since fallen across the deck – they lie on the wreck site, with their footings still visible and tangled with rigging hardware. In fact, many rigging elements are well-preserved: deadeyes, blocks, and shroud chains can be seen on site, though the organic ropes have rotted away. The ship’s deck hardware and machinery offer a fascinating glimpse into schooner technology. For example, at the bow the windlass (the horizontal drum device used to raise the anchors) and an “hour-glass” shaped capstan (a vertical winch used for tightening lines) are still mounted in place. Between the masts, divers can find the cargo hatches that once led into the holds – these were left open when the ship sank, and the last cargo of feldspar is reportedly still inside the hull. Near the main hold, a large deck winch for handling cargo is visible, and at least one bilge pump with an curved outlet pipe can be seen projecting from the deck. Aft of the main mast, the outline of the aft cabin (cook’s galley and crew quarters) is present; notably, the cabin roof has glass skylight prisms. One of these prismatic deck lights remains fitted on the port side of the cabin top (another on the starboard side was removed by artifact hunters sometime in the past). Such details speak to the remarkably well-preserved condition of this 145-year-old shipwreck.

Bow of the City of Sheboygan as it appears on the lake bottom. A scuba diver illuminates the curved stem and forecastle. Note the intact railings and the capstan on deck just aft of the bow (visible as a vertical cylinder). The greenish hue is due to freshwater algae and low light at 30 m depth. Photos Tom Rutledge – Shotline Diving

Multiple sets of photographs and diver documentation exist for the City of Sheboygan wreck. Over the years, local dive photographers have captured stunning images of the site, showcasing its features. For instance, photographs by Warren Lo (circa 2006) and Cal Kothrade (2017) depict the schooner’s bow, deck fittings, and the submerged atmosphere of the wreck. These images confirm reports that visibility on site can vary but is often around 20–30 feet (in the summer months) with a greenish freshwater tint. In early summer when algae levels are lower, lucky divers have encountered even clearer conditions, making the entire wreck visible in one view. Video footage is also available: a 2022 dive video (by ScubaGeek divers) shows a fin-to-stern tour of the wreck, including close-ups of the windlass, holds, and fallen masts. Additionally, a sophisticated 3D photogrammetry model of the City of Sheboygan has been created by underwater archaeologists. In 2022, a team from 3DShipwrecks.org (Ken Merryman, Kayla Martin, and others) photographed the wreck thoroughly and modeler Matthew Charlesworth produced a high-resolution interactive 3D model. This model is accessible online via Sketchfab and allows users to virtually “tour” the wreck from their computer. It confirms every detail reported by divers – from the schooner’s intact hull and deck layout to artifacts like cooking pots and tools that still sit on the deck. The model and imagery serve not only as documentation but also as an important archival record of the wreck’s condition as of 2022.

Stern area of the City of Sheboygan wreck, with a diver examining the partially collapsed aft cabin. The rectangular opening is part of the cabin skylight or companionway. Thick encrustations of zebra mussels cover most wooden surfaces. Despite over a century underwater, large sections of the schooner’s structure remain recognizable and penetrable with care. Photo Tom Rutledge – Shotline Diving

The condition of the wreck is a fortunate outcome of Lake Ontario’s cold, fresh waters. While zebra mussels have colonized the surfaces (as they do on most Great Lakes wrecks), they have also filtered the water, sometimes improving clarity. Divers in 2014 and 2016 reported that zebra mussel populations on the Sheboygan wreck go in cycles – at times thickly covering the wreck, and at other times dying back and leaving cleaner wood exposed. The water temperature at the bottom (90–100 ft) is typically around 40–55 °F (5–12 °C) even in summer, with a thermocline causing a sharp drop in temperature below 30 ft depth. These cold temperatures have helped slow the decay of the wood. Many small artifacts lie scattered on the decks and within the holds – including ceramic dishes, cooking pots and pans, tools, and even personal items – all left in situ by divers as a “museum” on the lakebed. Past divers and local heritage officials have encouraged a “look but don’t touch” ethic, so that these artifacts remain for others to see. The overall impression one gets upon visiting the site is that of a time capsule from 1915: the schooner appears as if she could almost be raised and made to sail again, were it not for the mussels and the silence of her decks.

Dive Accessibility and Conditions

The wreck of the City of Sheboygan is a popular but advanced-level dive due to its depth and location. At ~30 m (100 ft) deep, it lies beyond the limits of casual snorkeling or novice diving; proper deep diving training (Advanced Open Water certification and cold-water experience) is strongly recommended. The site is typically accessed by boat from Kingston or Picton, Ontario. It is in a relatively exposed part of Lake Ontario – an area sometimes called the “Graveyard” south of Amherst Island (which includes other wrecks in deeper water). This means that weather and waves are a major factor: on calm days the wreck is accessible, but even moderate wind can produce waves or currents that make diving difficult or impossible. Charter operators in Kingston will only visit the City of Sheboygan when conditions are safe. There is usually a seasonal mooring buoy attached to the wreck (placed by local dive groups) to facilitate quick descent and ascent, since anchoring on the wreck or searching for it in one’s own boat can be challenging without precise coordinates.

Underwater, visibility varies with the season. In spring and early summer, divers often find 30–50 ft of visibility on the wreck, aided by the reduced algae growth and the filtering action of zebra mussels. In late summer, algal blooms can reduce visibility to 15–20 ft or less, and light levels at the bottom are low (it can be quite dark at 100 ft except where divers shine lights). The water is cold year-round at that depth: temperatures in the low 40s °F (~5–6 °C) are common even in August. Divers typically wear drysuits or thick wetsuits and should be cautious of thermocline layers – a diver dropping from warm surface water to the cold depths will experience an abrupt temperature change. Because of the depth and cold, no-decompression bottom time is limited; most dives are relatively short (20 minutes or so on the wreck) unless using special gas mixes or rebreathers.

Known hazards: Besides the general depth and temperature concerns, the City of Sheboygan wreck has a silty bottom and interior. If divers enter the ship’s lower areas (for example, penetrating the aft cabin or cargo hold), silt-out conditions can occur. The fine sediment can easily be stirred up, reducing visibility to zero within confined spaces. Therefore, any penetration should be done with careful finning technique, proper training (e.g. wreck/overhead environment training), and ideally in sidemount or single-tank configuration, as the Wrecks and Reefs dive report suggests. There are some overhangs like the cabin roof and fallen timbers that one can swim under; doing so at the end of the dive is advised, as the sediment disturbance will make further exploration difficult until it settles. Another hazard is the occasional fishing net or line. Since the wreck lies in a fishing area, there have been reports historically of nets snagging the wreck (indeed how the anchor was discovered). While the site is not known to be heavily netted today, divers should still be alert for any stray fishing lines that could entangle them. Carrying a dive knife or cutting tool is prudent.

There are no special permit requirements to dive the City of Sheboygan wreck beyond the standard Ontario regulations for shipwrecks. In Ontario, all shipwrecks older than 50 years are automatically protected under the Ontario Heritage Act. This means removing artifacts or damaging the site is illegal without a heritage permit. Divers are welcome to visit the wreck, but they must leave artifacts in place for others to enjoy – a rule that local dive charters strongly enforce. The site has benefited from this protection: many artifacts and identifying features remain on the wreck. The only significant artifacts taken (the nameboard, wheel, and anchor) were removed in the 1960s before modern regulations, and those items were placed in museums for public display. Today, visitors can see the ship’s wheel and name plaque at the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes in Kingston (the wheel and nameplate were recovered by early divers), and the anchor at Mariners Park Museum in Prince Edward County, as noted above. It is advisable for divers to check in with local dive shops or clubs in Kingston for up-to-date information on mooring buoys, dive conditions, and any access guidelines. The nearest hyperbaric chamber is in Kingston, so dive operators stress conservative dive profiles and proper scuba safety due to the remote nature of the site (as one diver’s serious case of decompression sickness in 2015 demonstrated, prompt medical attention is critical in this region).

In summary, the City of Sheboygan wreck is accessible to experienced divers and offers a rewarding glimpse into Great Lakes history. It serves as an underwater museum, remarkably intact and teeming with historical artifacts. Divers who descend those 90+ feet will see a schooner frozen in time – a poignant reminder of the perils faced by sailors over a century ago and a testament to the efforts of the diving community and historians to preserve and document this submerged piece of heritage.

Sources and References

• Primary historical records: Contemporary newspaper reports and official inquiries from 1915 (available via the Maritime History of the Great Lakes digital archive) detail the City of Sheboygan‘s sinking and the failed rescue attempts by Amherst Island residents. These include eyewitness statements and marine inspector notes preserved in archives. The Department of Transport (Canada) file on Great Lakes nautical casualties (1972) also lists the incident with basic details.
• Great Lakes Shipwreck File: The definitive facts of the wreck (date, location, cargo, loss of life) are summarized in The Great Lakes Shipwreck File by David D. Swayze. Swayze’s database (1998) notes the alternate name confusion (“City of Cheboygan“), the storm, the cargo of feldspar, and that the schooner was “sold Canadian in 1915” shortly before the loss.
• Bowling Green State University Archives: The Historical Collections of the Great Lakes (HCGL) at BGSU hold the vessel’s registry and ownership history. A historic photograph from HCGL (c.1890s) shows City of Sheboygan during its service under Chicago owners. The archives confirm the schooner’s construction data (builder Frank Hamilton, 1871) and owners like Christian Raab and Winand Schlosser. They also list the official numbers (US #125218, Canadian #104283) and tonnage.
• Published histories: Several secondary sources provide narratives of the ship’s history and loss. Willis Metcalfe’s Canvas and Steam on Quinte Waters II (1968) is noted to include a “good story” of the wreck. Cris Kohl’s The 100 Best Great Lakes Shipwrecks, Vol. I (1998) features City of Sheboygan among Lake Ontario wrecks, with descriptions and perhaps a site diagram. The incident is also recounted in regional histories and dive guides, often highlighting the dramatic rescue attempts and the ship’s prior sinkings in 1886 and 1893.
• Diving reports and articles: Modern documentation comes from dive chronicles such as the Wrecks and Reefs website and the Diver Trek blog, which describe the site’s condition and diving experience. The Wisconsin Marine Historical Society’s 2023 Facebook post (archived by Shotline Diving) provided a concise summary of the vessel’s specs, owners, and the names of those lost. Local news, like the Wellington Times, has covered artifact recoveries – for example, Vince Murray’s anchor salvage story and the placement of a commemorative plaque.
• 3D models and digital media: The project by 3DShipwrecks.org led to a comprehensive photogrammetric model of City of Sheboygan. The model (created by Matthew Charlesworth in 2022) and its data (available on the 3DShipwrecks website and Sketchfab) provide an interactive reference for researchers. This effort was collaborative, involving Great Lakes shipwreck enthusiasts and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society. Accompanying the model, videos such as Basic Underwater Photogrammetry and The Next Step in Shipwreck Photogrammetry (Parts 1 & 2) on YouTube document the process of capturing the wreck in 3D. Additionally, recreational dive videos (e.g. by Scuba Geek on YouTube) offer virtual tours of the wreck for those who cannot visit in person.

All these sources collectively paint a comprehensive picture of the City of Sheboygan – from its construction and working life, through its final catastrophe, to its resurrection as an archaeological site and dive destination. Through diligent preservation and documentation, the story of the City of Sheboygan continues to be told above and below the waves, ensuring that this 19th-century schooner and the lives connected to her are not forgotten.

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Bowling Green State University Archives
• 3DShipwrecks City of Sheboygan Modelled by Matthew Charlesworth

3D Model – City of Sheboygan

CONCLUSION

The City of Sheboygan faced a tumultuous operational history, marked by multiple rebuilds and ownership changes. Despite efforts to keep the vessel seaworthy, it succumbed to Lake Ontario’s fierce conditions in 1915, resulting in the tragic loss of five lives. The wreck, now resting off Amherst Island, serves as a somber reminder of the perils faced by sailors and vessels navigating the Great Lakes during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Modern efforts to document the site through mapping and modeling ensure that the legacy of the City of Sheboygan endures.

NOAA/WHS Shipwreck Record Card

KEYWORDS:

#CityOfSheboygan #Schooner #LakeOntario #Shipwreck #AmherstIsland #GreatLakesHistory #MaritimeHeritage #HistoricalDiving

city-of-sheyboygan

1915-09-26 07:52:00