Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: G.P. Heath
- Type: Steambarge / Steam Screw
- Year Built: 1872
- Builder: Aurelius McMillan and George Madison
- Dimensions: Length 94.30 ft (28.73 m); Beam 21.80 ft (6.64 m); Depth of hold 8.10 ft (2.47 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 135 GRT
- Location: Lake Michigan, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
- Coordinates: Latitude 43°54.531′ N, Longitude 87°43.489′ W
- Official Number: 85216
- Original Owners: Initial: G.P. Heath; Sold to: Ralph C. Brittain; Purchased by: Capt. Parks (Aug 1881)
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Vessel Type & Construction
- Type: Steambarge / Steam Screw
- Hull Material: Wood
- Length: 94.30 ft (28.73 m)
- Beam: 21.80 ft (6.64 m)
- Depth of Hold: 8.10 ft (2.47 m)
- Gross Tonnage: 135 GRT
- Propulsion: Single steam screw, 0 masts
- Cargo Capacity: 30 tons (primarily hay and mixed freight at time of loss)
Description
Description
The G.P. Heath was a small wooden steam-barge designed for canal and nearshore freight service, built specifically to pass through the Illinois Canal for Chicago connections. She transported:
- Southbound cargoes: Lumber from western Michigan
- Northbound cargoes: Hides from Chicago stockyards for tanning in Saugatuck; occasionally hay, grain, and general merchandise
She also ran seasonal fruit trips, transporting strawberries and other produce to Chicago markets, a common practice among smaller Great Lakes steamers in the 1870s–1880s.
History
Service History
- 1872: Launched; Aurelius McMillan died before completion; finished by George Madison.
- 1874: Valued at $6,000; rated B1.
- Winter 1878: First major rebuild.
- Spring 1879: Went aground; refloated and enlarged for more carrying capacity.
- Winter 1879–1880: Received a thorough rebuild and new engine.
- 1884: Completed 70 trips, averaging 114,000 board feet of lumber per trip.
- April 1886: Grounded south of Milwaukee; freed with lifesaving crew assistance after shifting cargo.
Significant Incidents
Final Voyage & Loss
- Date: April 1887
- Cargo: 23–30 tons of hay plus assorted merchandise bound from Chicago to Kewaunee
- Incident:
- ~5 mi off Sheboygan, sparks from the smokestack ignited hay on the forward deck
- Gale-force winds rapidly spread the fire
- Attempted beaching north of Centerville Point (~11 mi north of Sheboygan)
- Vessel burned to the water’s edge
- Casualties: 1 of 6 crew drowned attempting to swim to shore
- Survivors: 5 (two escaped via yawl, two rescued from shore, one swam successfully)
- Losses:
- Vessel: $6,000 (uninsured)
- Freight: $600 (uninsured)
- Machinery recovered later that month
Final Disposition
Located By & Current Status
- Status: Total constructive loss; burned hull remains likely scattered and buried in shallow lakebed sediment
- Machinery: Salvaged in 1887
- Current Dive Potential: Negligible; no visible remains documented in modern sonar or diver surveys
Current Condition & Accessibility
Notices & Advisories
- No known contemporary U.S. Lighthouse Board or Notice to Mariners entries after the wreck, as the vessel was destroyed near shore and removed as a navigation hazard.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”g-p-heath-us-85216″ title=”References & Links”]
Historical Significance
The G.P. Heath is historically notable as a regional canal steamer, representative of the small-scale mixed-cargo traffic supporting Chicago’s industrial growth in the late 19th century. Her repeated rebuilds, seasonal fruit trade, and final fiery loss illustrate the risks of wooden steam-barges in a pre-spark-arrestor era.
Today, the site offers little to no diving opportunity, but the wreck’s history contributes to Great Lakes maritime heritage studies, particularly for Saugatuck-built steamers and early Wisconsin canal freighters.
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
- Vessel Names: G.P. Heath
- Former Names: None recorded
- Registry Number: 85216
- Year Built: 1872
- Location Built: Saugatuck, Michigan
- Builders: Aurelius McMillan (died before completion) and George Madison
- Owners:
- Initial: G.P. Heath (namesake)
- Sold to: Ralph C. Brittain
- Purchased by: Capt. Parks (Aug 1881)
- Home Port: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Date of Loss: April 1887 (enrollment surrendered 5/4/1887, Milwaukee: “Vessel Burned”)
- Position:
- Latitude: 43°54.531′ N
- Longitude: 87°43.489′ W
- Body of Water: Lake Michigan, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
- Depth: ~0 ft (burned to waterline; later machinery recovery in shallow water near shore)
Vessel Type & Construction
- Type: Steambarge / Steam Screw
- Hull Material: Wood
- Length: 94.30 ft (28.73 m)
- Beam: 21.80 ft (6.64 m)
- Depth of Hold: 8.10 ft (2.47 m)
- Gross Tonnage: 135 GRT
- Propulsion: Single steam screw, 0 masts
- Cargo Capacity: 30 tons (primarily hay and mixed freight at time of loss)
Description
The G.P. Heath was a small wooden steam-barge designed for canal and nearshore freight service, built specifically to pass through the Illinois Canal for Chicago connections. She transported:
- Southbound cargoes: Lumber from western Michigan
- Northbound cargoes: Hides from Chicago stockyards for tanning in Saugatuck; occasionally hay, grain, and general merchandise
She also ran seasonal fruit trips, transporting strawberries and other produce to Chicago markets, a common practice among smaller Great Lakes steamers in the 1870s–1880s.
Service History
- 1872: Launched; Aurelius McMillan died before completion; finished by George Madison.
- 1874: Valued at $6,000; rated B1.
- Winter 1878: First major rebuild.
- Spring 1879: Went aground; refloated and enlarged for more carrying capacity.
- Winter 1879–1880: Received a thorough rebuild and new engine.
- 1884: Completed 70 trips, averaging 114,000 board feet of lumber per trip.
- April 1886: Grounded south of Milwaukee; freed with lifesaving crew assistance after shifting cargo.
Final Voyage & Loss
- Date: April 1887
- Cargo: 23–30 tons of hay plus assorted merchandise bound from Chicago to Kewaunee
- Incident:
- ~5 mi off Sheboygan, sparks from the smokestack ignited hay on the forward deck
- Gale-force winds rapidly spread the fire
- Attempted beaching north of Centerville Point (~11 mi north of Sheboygan)
- Vessel burned to the water’s edge
- Casualties: 1 of 6 crew drowned attempting to swim to shore
- Survivors: 5 (two escaped via yawl, two rescued from shore, one swam successfully)
- Losses:
- Vessel: $6,000 (uninsured)
- Freight: $600 (uninsured)
- Machinery recovered later that month
Located By & Current Status
- Status: Total constructive loss; burned hull remains likely scattered and buried in shallow lakebed sediment
- Machinery: Salvaged in 1887
- Current Dive Potential: Negligible; no visible remains documented in modern sonar or diver surveys
Notmars & Advisories
- No known contemporary U.S. Lighthouse Board or Notice to Mariners entries after the wreck, as the vessel was destroyed near shore and removed as a navigation hazard.
Resources & Links
- Wisconsin Shipwrecks – G.P. Heath
- NOAA Thunder Bay Shipwreck Listing
- HCGL Bowling Green State University Vessel Database
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Newspapers.com – Fire Sinks G.P. Heath (historical coverage for 1887 loss)
Historical Significance
The G.P. Heath is historically notable as a regional canal steamer, representative of the small-scale mixed-cargo traffic supporting Chicago’s industrial growth in the late 19th century. Her repeated rebuilds, seasonal fruit trade, and final fiery loss illustrate the risks of wooden steam-barges in a pre-spark-arrestor era.
Today, the site offers little to no diving opportunity, but the wreck’s history contributes to Great Lakes maritime heritage studies, particularly for Saugatuck-built steamers and early Wisconsin canal freighters.
g-p-heath-us-85216 1887-04-03 13:54:00