Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Columbia (F. & P.M. No. 4 Pere Marquette 4)

Explore the remains of the Columbia, a wooden freighter turned yacht clubhouse, scuttled in Lake Michigan after a fire in 1937.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Columbia
  • Type: Wooden propeller-driven freighter
  • Year Built: 1888
  • Builder: Detroit Dry Dock Co., Detroit, MI
  • Dimensions: 186.6 ft (56.8 m); Beam 34.5 ft; Depth of hold 12.4 ft
  • Registered Tonnage: 941 GRT, 680 NRT; payload capacity ~900 tons
  • Location: Chicago harbor entrance or nearshore Lake Michigan
  • Original Owners: Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad; Columbia Yacht Club
  • Number of Masts: Two

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden propeller-driven freighter with two decks and two masts.

Description

Originally launched in 1888 as F. & P.M. No. 4, the Columbia was a wooden steam-powered freighter that served various Great Lakes ports. It underwent a significant rebuild in 1896, enhancing its capacity and upgrading its engine to 500 hp. The vessel was later renamed Pere Marquette 4 following a merger in 1901.

History

The Columbia was enrolled at Port Huron for the Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad, operating routes on Lake Michigan, including Manistee, Ludington, Milwaukee, and Chicago. In 1923, it was struck by another vessel, Pere Marquette 17, near Milwaukee, leading to its salvage and repurposing. In 1924, it was converted into a floating clubhouse for the Columbia Yacht Club in Chicago, where it operated informally as Columbia.

Significant Incidents

  • January 11, 1937: The Columbia burned in Chicago, resulting in total loss.
  • After the fire, it was scuttled in Lake Michigan as a disposal measure.

Final Disposition

The wreck of the Columbia is believed to be located at the Chicago harbor entrance or in nearshore Lake Michigan. The condition of the wreck is that of a burned hulk, likely sunk intact, but the exact position remains undocumented. There are no known dive or sonar surveys conducted on the site, although archaeological potential exists for deep-water historical wreck mapping.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck is currently uncharted, and its archaeological status is uncertain. There is potential for rediscovery through side-scan sonar surveys of the Chicago nearshore seabed.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”columbia-f-p-m-no-4-pere-marquette-4″ title=”References & Links”]

The Columbia represents a significant era in maritime history, showcasing the transition from wooden inland steamships to steel infrastructure. Its unique post-service life as a yacht clubhouse is rare among Great Lakes vessels, highlighting adaptive reuse before its final disposal.

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 & Construction

  • Built: 1888 at Detroit Dry Dock Co., Detroit, MI (Hull #89)
  • Type: Wooden propeller-driven freighter with two decks and two masts
  • Propulsion: Triple-expansion steam engine (15″, 23″, 37″ × 36″) by Globe Iron Works; single Scotch boiler (9′ × 11′, 140 psi)
  • Dimensions: 186.6′ length × 34.5′ beam × 12.4′ depth
  • Tonnage: 941 GRT, 680 NRT; payload capacity ~900 tons

Operational & Ownership History

  • 1888: Enrolled at Port Huron for the Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad (F&PM), serving routes on Lake Michigan (Manistee, Ludington, Milwaukee, Chicago)
  • 1896: Rebuilt in Manitowoc with steel framing and enhanced capacity; engine upgraded to 500 hp
  • 1901: F&PM merger; renamed Pere Marquette 4 (pmhistsoc.org)
  • 1923: Struck by Pere Marquette 17 near Milwaukee; salvaged and repurposed
  • 1924: Converted into a floating clubhouse for Columbia Yacht Club in Chicago, operating informally as Columbia (pmhistsoc.org, Facebook)

Final Incident & Disposition

  • January 11, 1937: Burned in Chicago—fire resulted in total loss
  • Scuttled afterward in Lake Michigan as a disposal measure (pmhistsoc.org)

Wreck Location & Archaeological Status

  • Probable location: Chicago harbor entrance or nearshore Lake Michigan
  • Condition: Burned hulk likely sunk intact; exact wreck position is undocumented
  • Status: No known dive or sonar surveys; archaeological potential exists for deep-water historical wreck mapping

Significance

  • Represents the era of wooden inland steamships transitioning to steel infrastructure
  • Its post-service life as an upscale yacht club is rare among Great Lakes vessels
  • Highlights adaptive reuse before final disposal—common fate of obsolete steamers

Research & Recovery Opportunities

  • Archival records: Fire and scuttling permits possibly kept in Chicago Fire Department or Coast Guard archives
  • Clubhouse era: Columbia Yacht Club should hold documentation, photos, or logs from 1924–1937
  • Field survey: Side-scan sonar of Chicago nearshore seabed could rediscover the hulk
  • Museum documentation: Pere Marquette Historical Society may hold ship’s plans, structural records, and photos common to PM fleet vessels (Wikipedia, michigansteamtrain.com, pmhistsoc.org)

Summary

Originally launched in 1888 as F. & P.M. No. 4, this wooden steam-powered freighter traversed many Great Lakes ports, underwent a major rebuild in 1896, served commercial routes under the Pere Marquette brand, and ultimately became a yacht clubhouse in Chicago. It burned and was scuttled on January 11, 1937. The wreck, likely near Chicago, remains undocumented but holds potential for maritime archaeology and regional heritage conservation.

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