Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Edith M
- Type: Sloop
- Year Built: 1906
- Builder: Unknown (likely a local Michigan yard)
- Dimensions: Length: estimated 25-30 ft (7.6-9.1 m); Beam: estimated 8-9 ft (2.4-2.7 m); Depth of hold: approximately 4 ft (1.2 m)
- Registered Tonnage: not confirmed in available records
- Location: Lake Michigan, approximately 32 km (20 miles) north of Muskegon, Michigan
- Official Number: not confirmed in available records
- Original Owners: Not specified
- Number of Masts: 1
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Small single-masted sloop, locally operated and likely used for personal transportation or light commercial fishing.
Description
Edith M would have been a traditional gaff-rigged or possibly Marconi-rigged sloop, simple in construction, with an open or partly-decked cockpit and a small cuddy cabin. These vessels were typical working and leisure boats along the Lake Michigan coast in the early 20th century.
History
Launched in 1906, the Edith M was a tiny craft, probably used for short coastal runs or local fishing, consistent with vessels of this size and rig. There is no record of her participating in long-distance commercial trade.
On 1 September 1914, early in the fall storm season, the Edith M foundered in rough weather about 20 miles north of Muskegon, Michigan. There are no details of loss of life or survivor accounts, and contemporary records do not mention rescue operations, suggesting the crew may have survived or were rescued, or possibly that no one was aboard at the time of sinking.
Significant Incidents
- Foundered in rough weather on 1 September 1914.
Final Disposition
Total loss; presumed sank intact. There is no known salvage or recovery.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern survey has confirmed the wreck location, and it is likely deeply buried or scattered by shifting sands on the lakebed.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”edith-m-1906″ title=”References & Links”]
Though small and of modest consequence compared to larger wrecks, the Edith M illustrates how even the smallest Great Lakes vessels were vulnerable to sudden autumn storms. Its loss north of Muskegon is part of the broader story of early 20th-century small-craft navigation on Lake Michigan.
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: Edith M
- Year built: 1906
- Registration number: not confirmed in available records
- Builder: Unknown (likely a local Michigan yard)
- Original owner: Not specified
- Vessel type: Sloop (small single-masted sailing craft)
- Number of decks: 1
- Number of masts: 1
- Approximate measurements (typical for small sloop of this period):
- Length: estimated 7.6–9.1 m (25–30 ft)
- Beam: estimated 2.4–2.7 m (8–9 ft)
- Depth: approximately 1.2 m (4 ft)
- Date lost: 1 September 1914
- Final location: Lake Michigan, approximately 32 km (20 miles) north of Muskegon, Michigan
Vessel Type
Small single-masted sloop, locally operated and likely used for personal transportation or light commercial fishing.
Description
Edith M would have been a traditional gaff-rigged or possibly Marconi-rigged sloop, simple in construction, with an open or partly-decked cockpit and a small cuddy cabin. These vessels were typical working and leisure boats along the Lake Michigan coast in the early 20th century.
History
Launched in 1906, the Edith M was a tiny craft, probably used for short coastal runs or local fishing, consistent with vessels of this size and rig. There is no record of her participating in long-distance commercial trade.
On 1 September 1914, early in the fall storm season, the Edith M foundered in rough weather about 20 miles north of Muskegon, Michigan. There are no details of loss of life or survivor accounts, and contemporary records do not mention rescue operations, suggesting the crew may have survived or were rescued, or possibly that no one was aboard at the time of sinking.
Final Dispositions
Total loss; presumed sank intact. There is no known salvage or recovery.
Located By & Date Found
No modern survey has confirmed the wreck location, and it is likely deeply buried or scattered by shifting sands on the lakebed.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Vessels Online Index – Bowling Green State University
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
Conclusion
Though small and of modest consequence compared to larger wrecks, the Edith M illustrates how even the smallest Great Lakes vessels were vulnerable to sudden autumn storms. Its loss north of Muskegon is part of the broader story of early 20th-century small-craft navigation on Lake Michigan.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- sloop
- Lake Michigan
- foundered
- small-craft loss
- 20th century
- Muskegon
- maritime weather hazards
- shipwreck
If you’d like, I can help you dig for 1914 newspaper mentions about the Edith M — just let me know!
edith-m-1906 1914-09-01 12:59:00