Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Daniel Boone
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1855
- Builder: S. Ruggles, Milan, Ohio
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: 273 tons
- Location: Near Manitoulin Island, Lake Huron (later confirmed in Saginaw Bay, Michigan)
- Coordinates: Not specified
- Official Number: Not specified
- Original Owners: Not specified
- Number of Masts: Not specified
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Daniel Boone was a wooden schooner typical of the type widely used on the Great Lakes in the 19th century. These vessels were well-adapted to lake navigation, with agility and capacity suited for transporting bulk commodities such as coal, wheat, and lumber. At 273 tons, she was sizable and capable of handling substantial loads.
Description
Constructed in 1855 at Milan, Ohio, by shipbuilder S. Ruggles, the Daniel Boone operated trade routes throughout the Great Lakes. Shortly after launching, she sustained damage to a cargo of 1,500 bushels of wheat, though the cause remains undocumented.
History
In 1856, while transporting coal and lumber, she encountered a severe storm on Lake Huron. The vessel was driven ashore and wrecked near Manitoulin Island. No lives were reported lost, but the financial damage was estimated at $11,500, a complete loss covered by underwriters.
Subsequent reporting dated October 26, 1856, placed the wreck in Saginaw Bay, indicating that either the vessel drifted post-wreck or initial location reports were inaccurate.
Significant Incidents
- Wrecked during a Lake Huron storm, 19 October 1856
- Location confirmed in Saginaw Bay, Michigan
- Declared unsalvageable
- Mentioned alongside other wrecks from the same storm including Oconto and Globe
Final Disposition
While contemporary records placed the wreck in Saginaw Bay shortly after the incident, no modern exploration or verification has confirmed the site.
Current Condition & Accessibility
- Condition: Likely fully deteriorated, not visually documented
- Accessibility: No known dive site or marked wreck location
- Interest primarily for historical and archaeological research
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”daniel-boone-1855″ title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]
The Daniel Boone is emblematic of the many schooners lost to sudden storms on the Great Lakes. Though short-lived, her operational history reveals the volatility of mid-19th century lake navigation and the risks mariners took transporting bulk cargo across unpredictable inland seas. Her loss during the 1856 storm adds to the tragic legacy of vessels wrecked in Great Lakes commerce.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
Join Shotline to read more →