Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Genevieve Ryan
- Type: Wooden freight barge
- Year Built: 1917
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: ~418 tons
- Location: Somewhere in open waters of Lake Erie, between Erie, Pennsylvania and Ashtabula, Ohio
- Official Number: 90719
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Genevieve Ryan is classified as a wooden freight barge, likely utilized in bulk transport across the Great Lakes.
Description
Built in 1917, the Genevieve Ryan was a wooden barge with an approximate registered tonnage of 418 tons. Specific details regarding her dimensions and builder are not documented.
History
The Genevieve Ryan foundered on an unrecorded date in October 1936 while en route across Lake Erie, between Erie, Pennsylvania, and Ashtabula, Ohio. The circumstances surrounding her loss remain largely unknown, with no records of cargo, weather conditions, or crew status available.
Significant Incidents
- Foundered in October 1936, exact date unrecorded.
- No records of loss of life or rescue operations.
- Casualty status remains unreported; presumed safe but confirmation is lacking.
Final Disposition
The exact wreck site of the Genevieve Ryan is undocumented, with no coordinates or final resting place recorded. No Notices to Mariners or hazard markings on charts are referenced.
Current Condition & Accessibility
As the wreck site is unlocated, the current condition of the Genevieve Ryan remains unknown. Further research and surveys are recommended to locate possible debris or hull remnants.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”genevieve-ryan-us-90719″ title=”References & Links”]
The Genevieve Ryan represents a lesser-known chapter in the maritime history of Lake Erie. Her unexplained foundering highlights the need for further investigation into the fate of wooden freighter barges that operated in the region.
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.
Identification & Vessel Details
- Name: Genevieve Ryan
- Built: 1917 (wooden barge)
- Official Number: 90719 (approximate, per registry index)
- Type: Wooden freight barge, likely utilized in bulk transport
- Tonnage: ~418 tons
Final Voyage & Loss – October 1936, Lake Erie
- On an unrecorded date in October 1936, the barge Genevieve Ryan foundered between Erie, Pennsylvania and Ashtabula, Ohio en route across Lake Erie.
- No further details—such as cargo carried, weather conditions, or crew status—were recorded in the Great Lakes shipwreck index.
- Casualty status: unreported; presumed safe, though confirmation is lacking.
- Location: Somewhere in open waters of Lake Erie, between the two ports.
(alcheminc.com, beavertaillight.org, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Gaps in the Record
- Date & crew information: Specific day of sinking and crew/passenger count are unreported. No records of loss of life or rescue operations.
- Cargo & tow details: Unknown—possibly under tow or drifting when foundered.
- Cause of foundering: Could include bottom striking, structural failure, storm – unconfirmed.
- Exact wreck site: Coordinates and final resting place not documented.
- No Notices to Mariners or hazard markings on charts are referenced.
Recommended Next Steps for Research
- Regional newspaper archives (e.g. Erie Times-News, Ashtabula Star Beacon; October–November 1936) may include eyewitness or salvage accounts.
- Coast Guard logs from the Erie and Cleveland districts could document any barge losses or towing incidents in 1936.
- Insurance and registration records might contain cargo manifests, owner’s names, and policy claims, which could illuminate cause of loss.
- Side-scan sonar survey between Erie and Ashtabula could locate possible debris or hull remnants of Genevieve Ryan.
Historical & Archaeological Importance
Although minimally documented, Genevieve Ryan is part of the late era of wooden freighter barges on Lake Erie. Her unexplained foundering continues the mystery of lesser-known bulk carriers that worked quietly but effectively on the lakes. Locating her remains could provide valuable insight into barge construction practices of the early 20th century and help complete archival records of Lake Erie’s maritime losses.
genevieve-ryan-us-90719 1936-10-20 14:54:00