CITY OF LUDINGTON (later GEORGIA)
INCIDENT (non-wreck or recovered hull)
1. IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION
CITY OF LUDINGTON, later renamed GEORGIA, was a wooden propeller-driven passenger and freight steamer built for year-round Great Lakes service. After dismantling and removal of machinery, the hull was deliberately sunk to form part of a stone quarry dock at Big Summer Island, Lake Michigan. The site represents an industrial hulk rather than an intact shipwreck.
Location: Big Summer Island, Lake Michigan
Depth: Shallow, dock-associated waters (exact depth not yet confirmed)
Access: Shore-based; incorporated into historic quarry dock remains
2. CONSTRUCTION & OWNERSHIP
Built in 1880 at Manitowoc, Wisconsin by Rand & Burger. The wooden hull was strongly reinforced for ice navigation and year-round service.
Vessel Type: Propeller steamer (passenger & freight)
Hull Material: Wood
Decks: 2
Length: 179.9 ft (54.8 m)
Beam: 35.4 ft (10.8 m)
Depth: 12 ft (3.7 m)
Gross Tonnage: 842
Net Tonnage: 738
Original Owner: Goodrich Transportation Co., Kenosha, Wisconsin
Official Number: 125873
3. POWER & MACHINERY
The vessel was screw-propelled and powered by a single high-pressure steam engine.
Engine: Single-cylinder high-pressure (HPNC), 24" × 36"
Power: Approximately 350 hp at 90 rpm
Engine Builder: Edward P. Allis Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Design: Reynolds-Corliss
Boilers: One firebox boiler, 9 ft × 18 ft, ~90 lb steam pressure
Propellers: 1
4. SERVICE HISTORY
Launched in August 1880, CITY OF LUDINGTON was notable as the first Great Lakes steamer lighted by electricity and the first fitted with a searchlight. The vessel operated in passenger and freight service, including winter navigation.
The ship experienced multiple severe ice incidents, including 45 days icebound in 1881 and four weeks trapped in ice south of Grand Haven in 1885. In 1889, machinery failure led to grounding at Eagle Bluff near Ephraim, Wisconsin, where the vessel remained frozen in until the following spring.
5. LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES
This vessel was not lost through storm, collision, or accident. After being laid up and abandoned, it was intentionally dismantled and sunk.
Date of Final Disposition:
Cause: Deliberate sinking as part of quarry dock construction
Casualties: None
6. DISCOVERY, OUTCOME & LATER HISTORY
Between 1897 and 1898, the vessel was extensively rebuilt by Burger & Burger, lengthened, re-engined, and renamed GEORGIA. Further rebuilding occurred in 1914 with installation of a new Scotch boiler.
Ownership later included E. G. Crosby (circa 1919–1920) and Wisconsin & Michigan Transportation Co. The vessel was laid up in 1925, abandoned at Manitowoc in 1928, dismantled at Sturgeon Bay in 1930 by Captain John Roen, and towed to Big Summer Island in 1932 where it was filled with stone and sunk as part of a quarry dock.
7. SITE DESCRIPTION & DIVE / SURVEY NOTES
The remains consist of a heavily modified wooden hulk integrated into dock infrastructure. Structural integrity is poor, with extensive alteration and collapse. Machinery and fittings were removed prior to sinking.
No-touch documentation only. Artifact removal is illegal without permits or licences. Divers are reminded to leave only bubbles, take only memories, and to remove only modern garbage where appropriate.
8. REFERENCES & LINKS
For detailed references and supporting documents, see the References & Links section on this page.
Shotline Diving Site Profile
Name: CITY OF LUDINGTON
Other Names: GEORGIA
Official Number: 125873
Registry: United States
Vessel Type: Propeller steamer (passenger & freight)
Builder: Rand & Burger
Year Built: 1880
Dimensions: 179.9 ft × 35.4 ft × 12 ft
Tonnage: 842 gross / 738 net
Cargo on Final Voyage: Stone (dock fill, post-service use)
Date of Loss: 1932 (deliberate sinking)
Location: Big Summer Island, Lake Michigan
Coordinates: Not yet confirmed
Depth: Shallow, dock-associated waters
Home Port: Kenosha, Wisconsin
Owners: Goodrich Transportation Co.; E. G. Crosby; Wisconsin & Michigan Transportation Co.
Crew: Not applicable at final disposition
Casualties: None