Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Fairfield
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1846
- Builder: Louis Shickluna
- Dimensions: 128 ft (39.01 m) X 26 ft (7.92 m); Depth: 11 ft (3.35 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 223 80/95
- Location: Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin
- Official Number: 9195
- Original Owners: Carey & Calvin, D. Whitney, Dibble
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden two-masted schooner built for general cargo transport on the Great Lakes during the mid-19th century.
Description
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: 1
- Length: 128 ft (39.01 m)
- Beam: 26 ft (7.92 m)
- Depth: 11 ft (3.35 m)
- Tonnage (Old Style): 223 80/95
- Builder: Louis Shickluna, a prominent Great Lakes shipbuilder
- Masts: 2
History
- 1846 (May 2): Launched at Oswego, NY and enrolled there
- 1854: Re-enrolled at French Creek, NY
- 1856: Rebuilt but retained original tonnage
- 1858 (Jan): Dragged ashore at Clayton, NY; later released and repaired
- 1861: Owned by Carey & Calvin, Clayton; underwent major repairs
- 1861 (Jul): Struck by lightning on the St. Lawrence River, losing a mast
- 1862: Owned by D. Whitney of Detroit, Michigan
- 1863 (May): Aground at Clayton while carrying black walnut; refloated
- 1863 (Jul): Damaged in a collision with Anna E. Raynor at Buffalo
- 1866: Owned by Dibble of Detroit
- 1868: Registered under US number 9195 with Chicago owners; tonnage listed as 169.91 gross
Significant Incidents
- Struck by lightning in 1861, resulting in the loss of a mast.
- Grounded at Clayton in 1863 while carrying black walnut, but was refloated.
- Damaged in a collision with the Anna E. Raynor in July 1863.
Final Disposition
The Fairfield was lost on 29 September 1869 when it ran onto a reef outside Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin, during a storm. The vessel was destroyed by heavy seas and broke apart.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No confirmed discovery or archaeological documentation of the wreck is currently known.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”fairfield-1846″ title=”References & Links”]
The Fairfield represents a typical mid-19th century Canadian-built schooner that served across the Great Lakes for over two decades. Its long service life and numerous incidents — including groundings, collisions, and a lightning strike — highlight the hazards of Great Lakes navigation. Its final loss at Bailey’s Harbor underscores the dangers posed by coastal reefs and fall storms in Lake Michigan.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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