D.A. Van Valkenburgh US 6318

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: D.A. Van Valkenburgh
• Type: Wooden bark (three-masted sailing vessel)
• Year Built: 1866
• Builder: Albert Little
• Dimensions: 167 ft (50.9 m) length × 34 ft beam × 12 ft depth
• Registered Tonnage: 539 GRT
• Location: Approximately three miles south of Jacksonport, Door County, WI
• Official Number: 6318
• Original Owners: Winslow, Buffalo, NY; Wells & Co., Milwaukee; Hood & MacMillan, Chicago, IL
• Number of Masts: Three

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The D.A. Van Valkenburgh was a wooden bark, characterized as a three-masted sailing vessel, built in 1866 in Tonawanda, New York by Albert Little.

Description

With dimensions of 167 feet in length, 34 feet in beam, and a depth of 12 feet, the vessel had a gross registered tonnage of 539. It was primarily used for transporting cargo across the Great Lakes.

History

The operational history of the D.A. Van Valkenburgh includes ownership changes and notable incidents. In 1871, it was owned by Winslow of Buffalo, NY. The vessel ran ashore at Pigeon Bay in 1872 and was repaired at Detroit Dry Dock. In 1874, it collided with the schooner ACTIVE on Lake Michigan. By 1876, it was owned by Wells & Co. of Milwaukee, and in 1881, ownership transferred to Hood & MacMillan of Chicago, IL.

Significant Incidents

• September 15, 1881: The vessel was en route from Chicago to Buffalo carrying 30,000 bushels of corn when it struck a reef during gale-force weather, approximately three miles south of Jacksonport, Door County, WI. The captain misjudged the vessel’s position due to a faulty compass.
• Casualties: Of the nine crew members, eight perished, with only one survivor, Thomas Breen, who managed to escape despite his yawl capsizing twice.

Final Disposition

The D.A. Van Valkenburgh was declared a total loss after being driven onto rocks and battered until disintegrated. The last enrollment was officially surrendered in Chicago on December 30, 1881.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck of the D.A. Van Valkenburgh has largely disintegrated, with salvage operations recovering significant amounts of cargo and gear shortly after the incident. The corn cargo washed ashore across miles of coastline, and by the next day, the hull was entirely broken up.

Resources & Links

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The D.A. Van Valkenburgh serves as a reminder of the navigational hazards faced by vessels in Lake Michigan during the late 19th century, highlighting the impact of storm conditions and compass errors. The loss of eight lives and the subsequent salvage efforts underscore the human and economic toll of maritime disasters.