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.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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