Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Evra Fuller
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1873
- Builder:
- Dimensions:
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Racine Reef, Lake Michigan
- Original Owners: Not conclusively recorded
- Number of Masts: Three
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Evra Fuller was a three-masted wooden schooner designed for the Great Lakes lumber trade, capable of carrying large deck loads of timber or other building materials.
Description
Built of wood in 1873, Evra Fuller was a typical lumber schooner with a single deck, spacious open cargo holds, and a robust hull strengthened to carry deck loads of sawn lumber. Her rig would have included three masts with fore-and-aft sails, optimized for running down the lakes with cargo.
History
Operating in the booming lumber trade of the late 19th century, the Evra Fuller frequently carried cargo between northern Michigan lumber ports and major distribution centres like Chicago. On 13 October 1893, she was en route from Menominee, Michigan, to Chicago with a full load of 260,000 board feet of lumber when she encountered dense fog near Racine Reef on Lake Michigan.
In poor visibility, the vessel ran hard aground on the reef. Before salvage could be organized, a strong gale arose, smashing the schooner to pieces and scattering her cargo. Fortunately, the crew reached shore safely, likely landing in the vicinity of Racine, Wisconsin.
Significant Incidents
- Grounded on Racine Reef due to dense fog on 13 October 1893.
- Wreckage scattered by a strong gale before salvage could be organized.
- All crew members survived the incident.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss, the Evra Fuller broke up completely on Racine Reef in October 1893. No salvage was recorded, and her remains were left to deteriorate on the reef.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern diver or archaeological survey has conclusively documented the wreck remains on Racine Reef, although local fishers have reported scattered wreckage.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”evra-fuller-1873″ title=”References & Links”]
The Evra Fuller is a classic case of 19th-century lumber schooners meeting their end on Lake Michigan’s dangerous reefs. Her destruction during a sudden October gale, after grounding in fog, underscores the hazards of Great Lakes navigation at the height of the lumber trade. The survival of her crew is a testament to their seamanship and the proximity to shore, even if the cargo and ship were a complete loss.
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.
EVRA FULLER (Launched 1873)
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Vessel Name: Evra Fuller
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year built and launched: 1873
- Owner: Not conclusively recorded
- Cargo: 260,000 board feet of lumber
- Date lost: 13 October 1893
- Location: Racine Reef, Lake Michigan
- Crew: All survived
Vessel Type
The Evra Fuller was a three-masted wooden schooner designed for the Great Lakes lumber trade, capable of carrying large deck loads of timber or other building materials.
Description
Built of wood in 1873, Evra Fuller was a typical lumber schooner with a single deck, spacious open cargo holds, and a robust hull strengthened to carry deck loads of sawn lumber. Her rig would have included three masts with fore-and-aft sails, optimized for running down the lakes with cargo.
History
Operating in the booming lumber trade of the late 19th century, the Evra Fuller frequently carried cargo between northern Michigan lumber ports and major distribution centres like Chicago. On 13 October 1893, she was en route from Menominee, Michigan, to Chicago with a full load of 260,000 board feet of lumber when she encountered dense fog near Racine Reef on Lake Michigan.
In poor visibility, the vessel ran hard aground on the reef. Before salvage could be organized, a strong gale arose, smashing the schooner to pieces and scattering her cargo. Fortunately, the crew reached shore safely, likely landing in the vicinity of Racine, Wisconsin.
Final Dispositions
Declared a total loss, the Evra Fuller broke up completely on Racine Reef in October 1893. No salvage was recorded, and her remains were left to deteriorate on the reef.
Located By & Date Found
No modern diver or archaeological survey has conclusively documented the wreck remains on Racine Reef, although local fishers have reported scattered wreckage.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Vessels Index (BGSU)
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
Conclusion
The Evra Fuller is a classic case of 19th-century lumber schooners meeting their end on Lake Michigan’s dangerous reefs. Her destruction during a sudden October gale, after grounding in fog, underscores the hazards of Great Lakes navigation at the height of the lumber trade. The survival of her crew is a testament to their seamanship and the proximity to shore, even if the cargo and ship were a complete loss.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Lumber schooner
- Lake Michigan
- Racine Reef
- 19th-century shipping
- Maritime history
- Shipwreck
- Great Lakes storms
- Menominee
- Chicago