Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Grace Greenwood
- Type: Wooden three-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1853
- Builder: George Rogers, Oswego, New York
- Dimensions: Approx. 124 ft (37.8 m) length × 26 ft (7.9 m) beam × 12 ft (3.7 m) depth
- Registered Tonnage: Approx. 306 gross tons
- Location: North pier entrance, St. Joseph, Michigan
- Coordinates: Not documented
- Official Number: 10196
- Original Owners: Chicago interests (Captain F. O. Berryson commanding)
- Number of Masts: Three
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Grace Greenwood was a wooden, three-masted schooner of 306 gross tons, built in Oswego, New York, in 1853. She was originally bark-rigged but was later converted to schooner rig. At 124 ft in length, with a 26 ft beam and 12 ft depth of hold, she was among the workhorses of the mid-century Great Lakes fleet, designed to carry dense cargoes such as iron ore, grain, and lumber. She was the first vessel constructed by Oswego shipwright George Rogers.
Description
The vessel spent over twenty years in the bulk freight trades of the Upper Lakes. Carrying heavy cargos such as ore from Escanaba and grain from northern ports, she made regular voyages between Lake Superior and southern Lake Michigan and Lake Erie destinations.
By the 1870s, she was registered to Chicago owners and under the command of Captain F. O. Berryson. On her final voyage in October 1876, she departed Escanaba with a load of 700 tons of iron ore bound for Michigan City, Indiana.
History
On 5 October 1876, while attempting to enter St. Joseph harbor during a storm, the schooner grounded near the north pier entrance. Despite rough seas, her six-man crew were safely rescued. In the days following, the stranded hull worked heavily in the surf and eventually broke in two. The vessel was declared a total loss.
Significant Incidents
- No fatalities were reported. All six crew, commanded by Captain F. O. Berryson, survived. No memorial listings or cemetery records are associated with this loss. Further detail may be available in 1876 Chicago or St. Joseph press records.
Final Disposition
No modern archaeological survey has confirmed remains of the Grace Greenwood. The wreckage was heavily broken up by storm action and likely dispersed or buried in harbor sediment shortly after 1876.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No dive site is associated with this wreck. The grounding occurred adjacent to the St. Joseph north pier; wreckage was destroyed by wave action. Modern divers have no known site to access.
Resources & Links
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The Grace Greenwood serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by Great Lakes vessels in the 19th century, particularly during severe weather conditions. While her remains are not accessible for diving, her story contributes to the rich maritime history of the region.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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