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)

Description

The Continental was a two-deck wooden steam screw bulk carrier, built for the iron ore and coal trade of the upper Great Lakes. Her hull was of wooden construction with a plain bow, rounded stern, and powered by a single screw driven by a double expansion steam engine. She was built to carry heavy ore loads, often in consort with schooners, on routes linking Marquette and Cleveland.

History

Launched on 2 May 1882 at Cleveland, Ohio, Continental entered service with the Republic Iron Company of Marquette, Michigan. She spent her career hauling bulk iron ore and coal. Over two decades she experienced multiple incidents:

• September 1883: Assisted grounded schooner Sumatra, snapping three towlines in the process.
• 28 April 1890: Fire in the oil room during an ore run to Ashtabula; flames forced collision with consort Magnetic, which sank. Crew rescued.
• 1890–1903: Routine ore service under successive captains including C.M. Davis, E.T. Rattray, Charles Hinslea, Harry Rodgers, and W.A. Black.

Final Dispositions

On the night of 12–13 December 1904, en route light from St. Ignace to Manitowoc Dry Dock, Continental encountered a heavy snowstorm. Near Twin Rivers Point, she missed a critical course change and stranded on sandbars off Rawley Point Lighthouse. All 20 crew were rescued by local fishing boats.

Salvage attempts by the tug Arctic of Manitowoc and Reid Wrecking Co. of Port Huron failed. Winter ice filled the hull and broke her apart. Locals salvaged furnishings, bedding, coal, and supplies before spring breakup.

Present Condition

The wreck lies in 0–15 ft (0–4.5 m) of water, shifting with sand movement. The remains include sections of hull and the double expansion steam engine. The site is periodically exposed by storms and ice, making it one of the most accessible large wooden bulk carriers preserved on Lake Michigan.

Located By & Date Found

Known since stranding in 1904; site continuously documented by Wisconsin Historical Society and sport divers. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a significant cultural resource.

Notmars & Advisories

None noted. Wreck is shallow and partially buried by sand; remains can shift and expose sharp edges.

Dive Information

Access: Shore dive north of Rawley Point Lighthouse
Entry Point: Public shoreline access
Conditions: Shallow, waves and poor visibility common; shifting sands bury or expose wreckage
Depth Range: 0–15 ft (0–4.5 m)
Emergency Contacts: USCG Station Two Rivers, WI
Permits: Wisconsin’s Submerged Cultural Resources law applies — artifact removal prohibited
Dive Support: Available in Two Rivers and Manitowoc

Crew & Casualty Memorials

No lives were lost; no known memorials erected.

Documented Statements & Extracts

“Winter ice filled the hull and broke her apart over the winter of 1904–1905. Locals salvaged furniture, bedding, food, and coal before spring breakup.” — Local press, Manitowoc Daily Herald, Dec 1904

Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails

Registry number 126016. Enrollment surrendered 8 December 1905 marked “Vessel Lost.” Insured — details require further archival review.

Site Documentation & Imaging

Documented by Wisconsin Historical Society’s Underwater Archaeology Program; remains include engine, broken timbers, and scattered machinery. Site visibility depends heavily on sand cover.

Image Gallery

Resources & Links

• Wisconsin Shipwrecks – Continental
• Great Lakes Vessels Database (BGSU)
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Chronicling America (Library of Congress)

References

1. Wisconsin Historical Society – Continental Vessel Record
2. Manitowoc Daily Herald, Dec 1904–Jan 1905
3. Great Lakes Vessels Database, Bowling Green State University

NOAA/WHS Shipwreck Record Card