Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Daniel Lyons
- Type: Three-masted canal schooner
- Year Built: 1873
- Builder: Goble & McFarlane Shipyard, Oswego, New York
- Dimensions: 137 ft (41.9 m) × 25 ft 9 in (7.9 m) × 11 ft 2 in (3.4 m) hold
- Registered Tonnage: 318 tons
- Depth at Wreck Site: 33.5 m / 110 ft
- Location: 4 miles off Stoney Creek outlet, near Clay Banks, Door County, WI
- Coordinates: approx. N 44° 40.261′, W 87° 17.708′
- Official Number: US 6789
- Original Owners: Unknown
- Number of Masts: Three
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A wooden-hulled canal schooner, designed to carry maximum grain loads through the Welland Canal. Notable as Goble & McFarlane’s first three-masted canaller, the Lyons set a model for subsequent vessels.
Description
Built for grain transport, the Daniel Lyons featured a centreboard trunk for stability and a full schooner rig of three masts. The cargo hold depth and modest beam reflect its canal-adapted design.
History
- 3 Feb 1873: Launched at Oswego at a cost of $27,000.
- Served in the western Lake Michigan grain run until 1878 under Captains John Blackburn (to 1876) and Michael M. Holland (from 1877).
- Final Voyage: Departed Chicago ~1 AM, 17 Oct 1878, bound for Black Rock (Buffalo) with 20,000 bushels of wheat.
Significant Incidents
At ~3 AM on 18 Oct, Daniel Lyons sighted the Kate Gillett (2-masted, fence-post laden) about 1 mile north of Algoma under moonlight. Erratic maneuvers by Gillett led to a high-speed collision at ~9 knots, crashing into Lyons starboard side between main and mizzen masts, shearing its stem nearly through. Ships remained interlocked for ~15 minutes, allowing crew to transfer before Lyons sank bow-first. Kate Gillett reached Chicago ~5 PM, heavily damaged but afloat.
Final Disposition
The Daniel Lyons sank stern-up in 110 ft of water; no recovery occurred. It has become an intact archaeological site, protected and buoy-marked seasonally.
Current Condition & Accessibility
- Depth: 110 ft (33 m)
- Remains: Nearly complete hull collapsed to port; intact centreboard trunk, stern and stem posts, rigging debris.
- Protected under state/federal law; removal of artifacts is illegal.
- Seasonally buoy-marked; popular among technical divers.
- Lake bottom temps: ~4–6 °C (40–42 °F); visibility 12–30 m (40–100 ft).
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”daniel-lyons-us-6789″ title=”References & Links”]
The Daniel Lyons serves as a rare and well-preserved example of a 19th-century canal schooner. Its catastrophic loss highlights the navigational challenges of Great Lakes grain routes. The wreck, protected and studied, offers significant insight into wooden vessel construction and early Great Lakes commerce.
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.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Daniel Lyons
- Year Built: 1873
- Builder: Goble & McFarlane Shipyard, Oswego, New York (Master Carpenter George Goble) (wisconsinshipwrecks.org)
- Type: Three-masted canal schooner (canaller)
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: Single
- Dimensions: 137′ (41.9 m) × 25′ 9″ (7.9 m) × 11′ 2″ (3.4 m) hold (wisconsinshipwrecks.org)
- Gross Tonnage: 318 tons (wisconsinshipwrecks.org)
- Final Location: 4 miles off Stoney Creek outlet, near Clay Banks, Door County, WI, Lake Michigan
- Coordinates: approx. N 44° 40.261′, W 87° 17.708′ (wisconsinhistory.org, wisconsinshipwrecks.org)
- Depth: 110 ft (33.5 m) (npgallery.nps.gov)
- Date of Loss: 18 October 1878 (collision early morning 18th) (wisconsinhistory.org)
- Casualties: None
Vessel Type
A wooden-hulled canal schooner, designed to carry maximum grain loads through the Welland Canal. Notable as Goble & McFarlane’s first three-masted canaller, the Lyons set a model for subsequent vessels (wisconsinshipwrecks.org).
Description
Built for grain transport, the Daniel Lyons featured a centreboard trunk for stability and a full schooner rig of three masts. The cargo hold depth and modest beam reflect its canal-adapted design.
History
- 3 Feb 1873: Launched at Oswego at a cost of $27,000 (wisconsinshipwrecks.org).
- Served in the western Lake Michigan grain run until 1878 under Captains John Blackburn (to 1876) and Michael M. Holland (from 1877).
- Final Voyage: Departed Chicago ~1 AM, 17 Oct 1878, bound for Black Rock (Buffalo) with 20,000 bushels of wheat (wisconsinshipwrecks.org).
Incident Summary
At ~3 AM on 18 Oct, Daniel Lyons sighted the Kate Gillett (2‑masted, fence-post laden) about 1 mile north of Algoma under moonlight. Erratic maneuvers by Gillett led to a high-speed collision at ~9 knots, crashing into Lyons starboard side between main and mizzen masts, shearing its stem nearly through (wisconsinshipwrecks.org). Ships remained interlocked for ~15 minutes, allowing crew to transfer before Lyons sank bow-first. Kate Gillett reached Chicago ~5 PM, heavily damaged but afloat (wisconsinshipwrecks.org).
Final Disposition
The Daniel Lyons sank stern-up in 110 ft of water; no recovery occurred. It has become an intact archaeological site, protected and buoy-marked seasonally (wisconsinshipwrecks.org).
Located By & Date Found
Discovered in 1985 by Kent Bellrichard, guided by local fishermen. Anchors and rigging were raised in 1985, marking the site for divers (npgallery.nps.gov).
Site Condition & Dive Information
- Depth: 110 ft (33 m)
- Remains: Nearly complete hull collapsed to port; intact centreboard trunk, stern and stem posts, rigging debris (npgallery.nps.gov).
- Protected under state/federal law; removal of artifacts is illegal (wisconsinhistory.org).
- Seasonally buoy-marked; popular among technical divers (wisconsinshipwrecks.org).
- Lake bottom temps: ~4–6 °C (40–42 °F); vis. 12–30 m (40–100 ft) .
Notmars & Advisories
Thematic site hazard notifications were issued immediately after sinking, and periodic buoy marking is maintained. No modern Notices to Mariners list it as a hazard due to marking.
Resources & Links
- Wisconsin Shipwrecks: Daniel Lyons detailed site and dive info (wisconsinshipwrecks.org, wisconsinshipwrecks.org)
- National Register of Historic Places: Shipwreck listing (#07001048) (wisconsinhistory.org)
- Archaeological Report: Wheat Chaff and Coal Dust by Meverden, Thomsen & Jensen (2006) (wisconsinshipwrecks.org)
Conclusion
The Daniel Lyons serves as a rare and well-preserved example of a 19th-century canal schooner. Its catastrophic loss highlights the navigational challenges of Great Lakes grain routes. The wreck, protected and studied, offers significant insight into wooden vessel construction and early Great Lakes commerce.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
Daniel Lyons, canal schooner, wooden schooner, grain transport, collision, Kate Gillett, Lake Michigan, 1878, archaeological dive, Goble shipyard, National Register shipwreck, centreboard trunk, technical diving site