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.

built circa early 1820s; lost Fall 1829 Wooden trading schooner, Lake Superior–Lake Huron corridor

Vessel Background & Operational Context

• Name: Discovery (sometimes referred to simply as “Discovery”)
• Type: Small two‑masted wooden schooner—used in inland freight routes
• Trade Route: Operated between tribal outposts, trading posts, and ports on Lake Superior and Lake Huron, including Sault Ste. Marie, prior to the canal opening.
  • To avoid the rapids at the St. Mary’s River (Sault Ste. Marie), vessels were risked running the rapids rather than offloading cargo at the portage—saving time and cost but incurring significant peril.

Final Voyage & Loss Details

• Loss Date: Fall of 1829 (exact day unrecorded; registry entry lists “wrecked ??” under that season)
• Loss Location: Likely below the rapids on the St. Mary’s River or in eastern Lake Superior—reflecting attempts to avoid overland portage by running through turbulent waters.
• Incident: During passage through the rapids or in nearby shallow waters, Discovery is recorded in loss registers as “wrecked”—presumed capsized or broken up by strong current or submerged hazards.
• Casualties: Not documented—presumed none or unrecorded; crew outcome is unknown.

Summary Table

Field	Detail
Vessel Name	Discovery
Type	Two‑masted wooden schooner
Trade Route	Lake Superior–Huron corridor via St. Mary’s Rapids
Loss Date	Fall 1829
Loss Location	Likely St. Mary’s Rapids / eastern Lake Superior
Cause of Loss	Ran rapids instead of portage; wrecked
Crew & Casualties	Not documented
Final Status	Declared wrecked in registry; presumed total loss

Historical Context & Notes

• Prior to completion of the Sault Ste. Marie Canal (opened in 1855), vessels bound for Lake Superior had to unload or risk navigating the dangerous St. Mary’s Rapids. Some small schooners like Discovery attempted to run them directly—a risky practice that occasionally ended in disaster.
• The archival Great Lakes Shipwreck Files list Discovery under 1829 with a notation of “wrecked??” and reference to this risky bypass—the only known entry for the vessel. No record of registry number, official ownership, or crew manifest survives.

Recommendations for Further Investigation

Since documentation is sparse for this early vessel, here are avenues to pursue deeper insight:

• Erie–Port Huron–Sault Ste. Marie 1829 newspapers or customs records—might contain portage attempt notes or small vessel logs.
• Early trade company ledgers or fur‑trading archives—often include vessel names, owners, and fate.
• American Fur Company or early trading posts correspondence—could reference a schooner loss fitting Discovery‘s profile.
• Local Indigenous or Ojibwe oral histories or early Michigan territorial records—might reference a wreck event associated with the name “Discovery.”

Final Reflection

Discovery appears to have been a frontier-sized schooner operating before the Sault Ste. Marie canal’s completion. In Fall 1829, she likely attempted to run the rapids of the St. Mary’s River and was wrecked during passage. The event is noted succinctly under “wrecked??” in loss registers, with no further details preserved. She stands as a rare example of early lake navigation risk before formal portage infrastructure existed.

If you’d like help accessing pre‑1850 Great Lakes vessel registries, fur‑trade archives, or territorial portage records, I’d be glad to assist in reconstructing more of Discovery‘s story.

discovery-c1820 1829-10-26 11:08:00