F.C. Clark (1849)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: F.C. Clark
• Type: Two-masted brig (wooden)
• Year Built: 1849
• Builder: St. Clair, Michigan
• Dimensions: Length X ft; Beam; Depth of hold
• Registered Tonnage: None recorded
• Location: Shore near Yorkville, approximately 2 miles south of Manitowoc north pier
• Official Number: None recorded
• Original Owners: Pierce & Bateman of Chicago
• Number of Masts: Two

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Vessel Type: Two-masted brig (wooden)

Description

Built: 1849, St. Clair, Michigan
Cargo at Loss: Coal

History

Chronology & Operational History

• October 24, 1856
  Loaded with coal and lumber in Erie, bound for Chicago. Encountered a southwest gale and dense fog off Milwaukee. Driven ashore off Yorkville near Manitowoc, Wisconsin, at about 11 pm. The brig “broke in twain,” constituting a total loss.
• Spring 1857
  Wreck stripped by the steamer Troy during salvage operations.
• Ownership & Command
  Owned by Pierce & Bateman of Chicago; Captain Bateman master at time of loss.

Significant Incidents

Significant Incidents

• October 24, 1856: Grounded and smashed in a gale; total loss.
• Spring 1857: Salvage operations conducted by the steamer Troy.

Final Disposition

Final Disposition

• Date of Loss: October 24, 1856
• Location: Shore near Yorkville, approximately 2 miles south of Manitowoc north pier, Lake Michigan
• Cause: Grounded and smashed in a gale; “broke in twain”—total loss.
• Casualties: None reported
• Wreck Status: Hull destroyed on rocks; substantial salvage occurred the following spring; no remnants expected today.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Current Condition & Accessibility

• Condition: Wreck disintegrated upon grounding; lifted and stripped by salvage—no intact structure remains.
• Dive Potential: Non-divable; shallow coastal ribbing likely removed or scattered.
• Modern Assessment: Shoreline upheaval and time have erased visible traces. Potential submerged debris near original grounding site may be buried under sediment.

Resources & Links

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F.C. CLARK was a mid-19th-century brig laden with coal that met its end on October 24, 1856. Driven ashore near Manitowoc during a severe storm, the vessel broke apart and was declared a total loss. Wreckage was salvaged the following spring, leaving little to no trace today. Further investigation through period newspapers, underwriter logs, and harbor records may yield operational details and images—if any still survive.