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.
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: Fairfield
- Year Built: 1846
- Place Built: Niagara, Ontario
- Final Location: Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin, Lake Michigan
- Date Lost: 29 September 1869
- Cause of Loss: Storm; vessel ran aground on a reef and broke up in heavy seas
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
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.
Located By & Date Found
No confirmed discovery or archaeological documentation of the wreck is currently known.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- C. Patrick Labadie Collection
- Donald V. Baut
- Board of Lake Underwriters Marine Directory
- Erik Heyl, Early American Steamers
- Steamboat Era in the Muskokas by Richard Tatley
- H.G. Runge Collection, Milwaukee Public Library
- Period newspaper archives
Conclusion
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.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Schooner, wood hull, storm wreck, Lake Michigan, Canadian-built, 19th century, reef collision, Bailey’s Harbor, Great Lakes maritime history.