Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Frank W. Gifford (1868)

Explore the wreck of the Frank W. Gifford, a wooden-hulled schooner lost in Lake Michigan in 1897, emblematic of the era’s maritime trade.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Frank W. Gifford
  • Type: Wooden-hulled, three-masted schooner
  • Year Built: 1868
  • Builder: Quayle & Martin, Cleveland, Ohio
  • Dimensions: 159 × 31 × 12 ft; 452 gt, 429 nt
  • Registered Tonnage: 452 gt, 429 nt
  • Location: 25 miles off Ahnapee, between Point Betsie and Algoma, WI
  • Official Number: 9752
  • Number of Masts: 3

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden-hulled, three-masted schooner.

Description

The Frank W. Gifford was built in 1868 by Quayle & Martin in Cleveland, Ohio. It measured 159 feet in length, 31 feet in beam, and had a depth of 12 feet. The vessel was registered at 452 gross tons and 429 net tons.

History

The Gifford was primarily engaged in the transportation of bulk cargo, particularly iron ore, from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to ports on Lake Michigan. On its final voyage, it was loaded with iron ore from Escanaba, bound for Fairport.

Significant Incidents

  • On October 21, 1897, while sailing before a heavy northeast wind, the Gifford sprang a leak and began to take on water.
  • The crew abandoned ship, taking essential items with them, and were rescued by the schooner City of Sheboygan after approximately three hours at sea.
  • All crew members survived the incident.

Final Disposition

The Frank W. Gifford was lost at sea, with its last known position being 25 miles off Ahnapee, near mid-Lake Michigan. No documented underwater surveys or dive investigations have been conducted, and the wreck site remains unlocated.

Current Condition & Accessibility

As of now, the wreck of the Frank W. Gifford has not been located. There have been no underwater surveys or sonar sweeps to ascertain its condition.

Resources & Links

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The Frank W. Gifford fouled her fate on October 21, 1897, when structural failure during a northeast windstorm led to her foundering. While the crew escaped and were safely rescued, the schooner was lost to the depths of Lake Michigan—standing as a testament to the engineered limits of wooden ore schooners and the resilience of Great Lakes mariners at the close of the 19th century.

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.

Built 1868 – Foundered Oct 21, 1897)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Vessel Type: Wooden-hulled, three-masted schooner
  • Built: 1868 by Quayle & Martin, Cleveland, Ohio
  • Specifications: 159 × 31 × 12 ft; 452 gt, 429 nt
  • Official Number: 9752
  • Final Voyage: October 21, 1897 — mid-lake on Lake Michigan, between Point Betsie and Ahnapee (Algoma, WI) (Wisconsin Shipwrecks, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Cargo & Voyage at Loss

  • Cargo: Iron ore, being transported from Escanaba toward Fairport.
  • Voyage Plan: Bound for Fairport after loading ore at Escanaba (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Conclusion & Cause of Loss

  • On October 21, 1897, sailing before a heavy northeast wind, the Gifford sprang a leak and began to take on water (Wisconsin Shipwrecks).
  • With progressive flooding, the crew abandoned ship, boarding the vessel’s yawl with essential items (torch, compass, foghorn); after about three hours at sea they were rescued by the schooner City of Sheboygan and taken to Chicago (Wisconsin Shipwrecks).
  • Remarkably, all crew survived, and the vessel was lost at sea.

Wreck Location & Condition

  • Last known position was 25 miles off Ahnapee, near mid-Lake Michigan, between Point Betsie and Algoma (Wisconsin Shipwrecks).
  • No documented underwater surveys, sonar sweeps, or dive investigations have been conducted; the wreck site remains unlocated.

Significance & Context

  • Emblematic of the schooner-ore trade of the late 19th century in the Great Lakes, hauling bulk cargo such as iron ore from the Upper Peninsula to Lake Michigan ports.
  • Rapid water ingress under heavy wind conditions highlights the structural vulnerabilities of wooden schooners in adverse weather.
  • Crew survival and rescue by another schooner showcase the resourcefulness and camaraderie among Great Lakes mariners of the era.

Sources & Archival References

Research Gaps & Recommendations

  • Official Records: Search U.S. Coast Guard or Revenue Cutter logs (1897) for formal abandonment and loss reports.
  • Crew Details: Examine shipping registers and vessel manifests for crew roster and identities.
  • Newspapers: Review October–November 1897 editions of Chicago Tribune, Milwaukee Journal, Door County Advocate for rescue and loss reports.
  • Wreck Survey: If locating the mid-lake site is of interest, propose a sonar and magnetometer sweep between Point Betsie and Algoma.

Conclusion

The Frank W. Gifford fouled her fate on October 21, 1897, when structural failure during a northeast windstorm led to her foundering. While the crew escaped and were safely rescued, the schooner was lost to the depths of Lake Michigan—offstanding as a testament to the engineered limits of wooden ore schooners and the resilience of Great Lakes mariners at the close of the 19th century.

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