Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: George Foote
- Type: Wooden two-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1859
- Builder: Angus McKay
- Dimensions: 121 ft × 26 ft × 11 ft (36.9 m × 7.9 m × 3.4 m); 249 tons (316 old measurement)
- Registered Tonnage: 249 tons
- Location: Near Fort Niagara, Ontario
- Official Number: 10236
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Vessel TypeA standard mid-19th-century lumber schooner, the George Foote was a shallow-draft vessel ideal for navigating small harbours and timber-loading sites across the Great Lakes.
Description
Identification & Site InformationName: George Foote
Built: 1859 in Detroit, Michigan by Angus McKay
Vessel Type: Wooden two-masted schooner
Dimensions: 121 ft × 26 ft × 11 ft (36.9 m × 7.9 m × 3.4 m); 249 tons (316 old measurement)
Official Number: 10236
Final Loss: 15 November 1871
Location: Near Fort Niagara, Ontario, Lake Ontario
Cargo: Lumber
Crew: None lost
History
History & Final VoyageThe George Foote operated in the bulk timber trade across Lake Ontario. On 15 November 1871, while en route to Ogdensburg, New York, she was caught in a strong night gale and driven ashore near Fort Niagara, Ontario. Despite the severity of the storm, all crew survived. The vessel remained stranded and gradually broke apart under surf and wave action in the days following.
Significant Incidents
Significant Incidents– Caught in a strong gale on 15 November 1871
– Driven ashore near Fort Niagara, Ontario
– All crew survived the incident
Final Disposition
Final DispositionDeclared a total loss, the hull disintegrated on site. There is no record of salvage or recovery, and no insurance documentation has surfaced publicly.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Located By & Date FoundThe schooner was first found ashore by the passing schooner Fur Trader (Capt. Ripley) shortly after the storm. No GPS location is known, and no underwater archaeology or survey work has identified the wreck remains.
Notmars & Advisories
There are no navigational warnings or known obstructions linked to the wreck site. The shoreline near Fort Niagara is prone to sandbar shifts, where debris occasionally resurfaces after storms.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”george-foote-us-10236″ title=”References & Links”]
ConclusionThe George Foote, a Detroit-built schooner from 1859, was lost to a gale on 15 November 1871 while bound for Ogdensburg with a cargo of lumber. Though her crew survived, the ship was wrecked and dismantled by Lake Ontario’s powerful surf. Further insights may lie in Ontario newspaper archives, Buffalo marine underwriter ledgers, or Canadian port authority logs.
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 & Site Information
Name: George Foote
Built: 1859 in Detroit, Michigan by Angus McKay
Vessel Type: Wooden two-masted schooner
Dimensions: 121 ft × 26 ft × 11 ft (36.9 m × 7.9 m × 3.4 m); 249 tons (316 old measurement)
Official Number: 10236
Final Loss: 15 November 1871
Location: Near Fort Niagara, Ontario, Lake Ontario
Cargo: Lumber
Crew: None lost
Vessel Type
A standard mid-19th-century lumber schooner, the George Foote was a shallow-draft vessel ideal for navigating small harbours and timber-loading sites across the Great Lakes.
History & Final Voyage
The George Foote operated in the bulk timber trade across Lake Ontario. On 15 November 1871, while en route to Ogdensburg, New York, she was caught in a strong night gale and driven ashore near Fort Niagara, Ontario. Despite the severity of the storm, all crew survived. The vessel remained stranded and gradually broke apart under surf and wave action in the days following.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss, the hull disintegrated on site. There is no record of salvage or recovery, and no insurance documentation has surfaced publicly.
Located By & Date Found
The schooner was first found ashore by the passing schooner Fur Trader (Capt. Ripley) shortly after the storm. No GPS location is known, and no underwater archaeology or survey work has identified the wreck remains.
Notmars & Advisories
There are no navigational warnings or known obstructions linked to the wreck site. The shoreline near Fort Niagara is prone to sandbar shifts, where debris occasionally resurfaces after storms.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files
- Canadian vessel registry: Official Number 10236
- US vessel registries (pre-1871) show cross-border enrolments for this vessel class
Conclusion
The George Foote, a Detroit-built schooner from 1859, was lost to a gale on 15 November 1871 while bound for Ogdensburg with a cargo of lumber. Though her crew survived, the ship was wrecked and dismantled by Lake Ontario’s powerful surf. Further insights may lie in Ontario newspaper archives, Buffalo marine underwriter ledgers, or Canadian port authority logs.