Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Detroit
- Type: Sidewheel Steamer
- Year Built: 1837
- Builder: Unknown – Likely Milwaukee-based
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: Approximately 250 Gross Tons
- Location: Just off Southport (modern-day Kenosha), WI
- Coordinates: N 42° 35.444′ / W 087° 48.737′
- Original Owners: General John Crawford
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Sidewheel steamer designed for shallow-water navigation, primarily operating in early Lake Michigan harbors.
Description
A small, light-draft wooden steam paddle vessel fitted for shallow-water harbors of early Lake Michigan. Designed to navigate bars and river mouths including Milwaukee and Racine harbors, often anchoring offshore to unload passengers and goods. She formed a critical part of early transportation routes, linking Chicago, Pike River, Root River (Racine), and Southport (Kenosha) with inland stagecoach routes from Detroit and Toledo.
History
There is considerable confusion involving three similarly named vessels operating in the 1830s:
- Steamer Detroit (built 1837 in Milwaukee, ~250 tons): Ran Michigan City–Milwaukee line. Commanded by Gen. John Crawford. Wrecked off Southport (Kenosha) in October 1837. (This is the focus vessel.)
- Schooner Detroit (also built 1837, Milwaukee, 67–109.91 tons): Wrecked at Fox Point, recovered, lost again off Gravelly Bay, Ontario, in 1842.
- Steamer Detroit (built 1833, Swan Creek, MI, 137.66 tons): Belonged to Detroit River Steam Navigation Co. May also be the vessel that wrecked at Southport.
Due to overlapping dates, it is possible either the 1833 or 1837 steamer was involved in the final wreck event described below.
Significant Incidents
- Date: October 25, 1837
- How: Grounded and abandoned in a snowstorm after anchor failure
- Location: Just off Southport (modern-day Kenosha), WI
- Circumstances:
- Vessel ran out of wood fuel and was anchored off Kenosha
- A sudden snowstorm broke her anchor, sending the vessel ashore
- All passengers and cargo offloaded safely
- Vessel abandoned
Final Disposition
The vessel was abandoned after grounding during a snowstorm, with no lives lost and all cargo safely offloaded.
Current Condition & Accessibility
As of now, the wreck is likely to have no remaining structure due to the passage of time and environmental conditions.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”detroit-1837″ title=”References & Links”]
The steamer Detroit (1837) occupies an important place in Great Lakes maritime heritage, particularly as an early steamboat tied to regional expansion and port development. Though its wreck was not deadly, the vessel’s grounding highlights the vulnerability of early wooden steamers and the harsh unpredictability of autumn weather on Lake Michigan. The overlapping vessel names in the same time period underscore the challenges in 19th-century registry tracking, necessitating careful cross-referencing in archival research.
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
- Vessel Name: Detroit
- Type: Sidewheel Steamer
- Year Built: 1837
- Builder: Unknown – Likely Milwaukee-based
- Location Built: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Material: Wood
- Tonnage: Approximately 250 Gross Tons
- Final Coordinates: N 42° 35.444′ / W 087° 48.737′
- Nearest City: Kenosha, Wisconsin
- Waterbody: Lake Michigan
- County: Kenosha
- Lives Lost: None Reported
- Cargo at Loss: General freight (potatoes, wheat), passengers
- Final Use: Passenger & cargo transport between Michigan City and Milwaukee
Description
A small, light-draft wooden steam paddle vessel fitted for shallow-water harbors of early Lake Michigan. Designed to navigate bars and river mouths including Milwaukee and Racine harbors, often anchoring offshore to unload passengers and goods. She formed a critical part of early transportation routes, linking Chicago, Pike River, Root River (Racine), and Southport (Kenosha) with inland stagecoach routes from Detroit and Toledo.
Vessel Identity Clarification
There is considerable confusion involving three similarly named vessels operating in the 1830s:
- Steamer Detroit (built 1837 in Milwaukee, ~250 tons): Ran Michigan City–Milwaukee line. Commanded by Gen. John Crawford. Wrecked off Southport (Kenosha) in October 1837. (This is the focus vessel.)
- Schooner Detroit (also built 1837, Milwaukee, 67–109.91 tons): Wrecked at Fox Point, recovered, lost again off Gravelly Bay, Ontario, in 1842.
- Steamer Detroit (built 1833, Swan Creek, MI, 137.66 tons): Belonged to Detroit River Steam Navigation Co. May also be the vessel that wrecked at Southport.
Due to overlapping dates, it is possible either the 1833 or 1837 steamer was involved in the final wreck event described below.
Final Disposition
- Date: October 25, 1837
- How: Grounded and abandoned in a snowstorm after anchor failure
- Location: Just off Southport (modern-day Kenosha), WI
- Circumstances:
- Vessel ran out of wood fuel and was anchored off Kenosha
- A sudden snowstorm broke her anchor, sending the vessel ashore
- All passengers and cargo offloaded safely
- Vessel abandoned
Historical Significance
- One of the earliest American steamers built on the Great Lakes
- Integral in connecting frontier cities and lake ports during the pre-railroad era
- Represents transitional maritime logistics (combined lake and overland travel)
Resources & Links
- Wisconsin Shipwrecks – Detroit (1837)
- History of Milwaukee (John G. Gregory, 1931)
- Library of Congress: Early Steamer Registries
- Great Lakes Maritime Database (BGSU)
- Milwaukee Sentinel Archives
Conclusion
The steamer Detroit (1837) occupies an important place in Great Lakes maritime heritage, particularly as an early steamboat tied to regional expansion and port development. Though its wreck was not deadly, the vessel’s grounding highlights the vulnerability of early wooden steamers and the harsh unpredictability of autumn weather on Lake Michigan. The overlapping vessel names in the same time period underscore the challenges in 19th-century registry tracking, necessitating careful cross-referencing in archival research.
Keywords
Region: Lake Michigan – Kenosha
Vessel Type: Steamer, Paddlewheel
Period: Early Steam Era (1830s)
Cause of Loss: Grounding, anchor failure, snowstorm
Ownership: General John Crawford
Cargo: Mixed freight & passengers
Salvage: No hull recovery documented
Dive Suitability: Likely no remaining structure