Shotline Diving

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Eliza US 8248

Explore the wreck of the Eliza, a two-masted schooner lost in Lake Michigan in the late 1890s, with a rich history of trade and a tragic end.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Eliza
  • Type: Two-masted schooner
  • Year Built: 1868
  • Builder: H.C. Pierson
  • Dimensions: 53.2 ft (16.2 m); Beam: 14.9 ft (4.5 m); Depth of hold: 6 ft (1.8 m)
  • Registered Tonnage: 30.03 tons
  • Location: Approx. 2 mi off North Point, near Racine, Wisconsin
  • Coordinates: N 43° 08.109′ / W 087° 33.188′
  • Official Number: 8248
  • Original Owners: Byron Burmeister, Manitowoc, Wisconsin; John Hanson, Chicago, Illinois
  • Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Eliza was a two-masted schooner designed for light cargo transport, primarily sand, gravel, and grain, typical of nearshore and harbor trade on Lake Michigan.

Description

The Eliza was a small, wooden, two-masted schooner designed for light cargo such as sand, gravel, and grain, typical of nearshore and harbor trade on Lake Michigan. Her dimensions and shallow draft allowed her to navigate smaller harbors and nearshore sand points. She had no auxiliary steam power and relied solely on sail propulsion.

History

The Eliza was launched in 1868 at Spring Lake, Michigan, for owner Byron Burmeister. In July 1883, she capsized near Milwaukee while carrying a grain cargo but was later salvaged. From 1883 to 1890, she continued to serve in the sand and gravel transport trade between Chicago and Milwaukee. On March 18, 1891, her final enrollment was surrendered in Chicago, marked as ‘Vessel Lost.’

Significant Incidents

  • 1868: Launched at Spring Lake, MI for Byron Burmeister.
  • July 1883: Capsized near Milwaukee piers with a grain cargo; later salvaged.
  • 1883–1890: Continued service in sand and gravel transport between Chicago and Milwaukee.
  • March 18, 1891: Final enrollment surrendered at Chicago, marked ‘Vessel Lost.’

Final Disposition

The Eliza likely foundered in late 1890 while en route from Chicago to Milwaukee with a sand cargo. Contemporary accounts reported a wreck with a spar protruding approximately 10 miles off Racine, Wisconsin. The loss resulted in three lives, including Captain John Hansen and two crew members.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck of the Eliza is likely scattered or buried approximately 2 miles off North Point, Racine, Wisconsin. No formal survey has confirmed the site; however, local divers have reported a small wooden schooner frame matching the Eliza‘s profile. The depth is variable due to sand cover, with fragments occasionally exposed.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”eliza-us-8248″ title=”References & Links”]

The schooner Eliza, a 30-ton sand hauler, vanished in late 1890 on Lake Michigan with three souls lost. Its presumed offshore Racine wreck site reflects the perils of small-lake commerce. Confirmation of the wreck and identification of her final crew remains a priority for Great Lakes maritime archaeology.

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(s): Eliza
  • Registry Number: 8248
  • Year Built: 1868
  • Builder: H.C. Pierson
  • Build Location: Spring Lake, Michigan
  • Home Port: Chicago, Illinois
  • Original Owner: Byron Burmeister, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
  • Final Owner: John Hanson, Chicago, Illinois
  • Location of Loss: Approx. 2 mi off North Point, near Racine, Wisconsin
  • Coordinates: N 43° 08.109′ / W 087° 33.188′
  • Depth of Wreck: ~0 ft reported historically (likely broken/adrift)

Vessel Type

  • Type: Two-masted schooner
  • Rig: Schooner
  • Hull: Wood
  • Length: 53.2 ft (16.2 m)
  • Beam: 14.9 ft (4.5 m)
  • Depth of Hold: 6 ft (1.8 m)
  • Gross Tonnage: 30.03 tons
  • Propulsion: Sail
  • Cargo at Loss: Sand (possibly gravel)

Construction & Description

The Eliza was a small, wooden, two-masted schooner designed for light cargo such as sand, gravel, and grain, typical of nearshore and harbor trade on Lake Michigan. Her dimensions and shallow draft allowed her to navigate smaller harbors and nearshore sand points. She had no auxiliary steam power and relied solely on sail propulsion.

Service History

  • 1868: Launched at Spring Lake, MI for Byron Burmeister.
  • July 1883: Capsized near Milwaukee piers with a grain cargo; later salvaged.
  • 1883–1890: Continued service in sand and gravel transport between Chicago and Milwaukee.
  • March 18, 1891: Final enrollment surrendered at Chicago, marked “Vessel Lost.”

Final Voyage

  • Date of Loss: Likely August–September 1890
  • From/To: Departed Chicago for Milwaukee with sand cargo
  • Persons Aboard: Captain John Hansen + 2 crew
  • Incident: Never arrived; presumed foundered mid-lake

Contemporary Accounts:

  • October 1, 1890: Capt. Winter of the Goodrich steamer Chicago reported a wreck 10 mi off Racine with a spar protruding (Chicago Tribune, 10/2/1890).
  • October 21–25, 1890: Buffalo and Port Huron newspapers declare all hope lost for the Eliza and crew.
  • 1891 Variant Report: Carus reports a Jacksonport, WI wreck on 11/18/1891, but no local newspapers corroborate this.

Casualties: 3 lives lost (Capt. Hansen + 2 unnamed crew)

Today / Wreck Condition

  • Likely scattered or buried wreckage approx. 2 mi off North Point (Racine, WI).
  • No formal survey has confirmed the site; local divers report a small wooden schooner frame matching the Eliza‘s profile.
  • Depth is variable due to sand cover; fragments occasionally exposed.

Historical & Research Significance

The Eliza represents:

  • Small-trade schooners of the late 19th century that serviced the Chicago–Milwaukee sand trade.
  • High attrition of wooden schooners by the 1890s due to weather, overloading, and limited stability.
  • Example of archival mystery, with conflicting 1890 and 1891 reports.

Archival study of Racine and Chicago harbor logs or federal marine casualty records may clarify the exact loss location and recover the crew names.

Primary Sources & Archives

Conclusion

The schooner Eliza, a 30-ton sand hauler, vanished in late 1890 on Lake Michigan with three souls lost. Its presumed offshore Racine wreck site reflects the perils of small-lake commerce. Confirmation of the wreck and identification of her final crew remains a priority for Great Lakes maritime archaeology.

eliza-us-8248 1868-07-29 09:19:00