Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Granite State
- Type: Propeller (Canaller)
- Year Built: 1852
- Builder: Moses & Quayle
- Dimensions: Length 137 ft 4 in (41.8 m); Beam 24 ft 10 in (7.6 m); Depth 11 ft (3.4 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 351.73 tons (old measurement), later 428.82 gross tons (after rebuilds)
- Location: South Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, Lake Michigan
- Official Number: 10815
- Original Owners: Philo Chamberlain & J.W. Crawford, Cleveland, OH; later purchased by William A. Russell, Chicago
- Number of Masts: 1
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Granite State was a wooden-hulled screw-propeller freighter built for Great Lakes and canal navigation, classed as a “canaller” due to its dimensions allowing transit through the Welland Canal. Its design included built-in wooden arches for hull strength. Originally equipped with an oscillating steam engine, it operated widely across the Great Lakes, carrying diverse bulk cargo.
Description
The Granite State was a wooden-hulled screw-propeller freighter built for Great Lakes and canal navigation, classed as a “canaller” due to its dimensions allowing transit through the Welland Canal. Its design included built-in wooden arches for hull strength. Originally equipped with an oscillating steam engine, it operated widely across the Great Lakes, carrying diverse bulk cargo.
History
The Granite State had a long and eventful career on the Great Lakes:
- 1852: Enrolled at Cleveland; operated freight routes from Ogdensburg, NY to upper lakes ports.
- 1853: Struck a pier in Cleveland harbor with 100 barrels of salt; freed after two days.
- 1855: Transferred to the Northern Transportation Company.
- 1861: Strengthened and continued service.
- 1862: Damaged in collision with schooner Australia in the Welland Canal.
- 1864: Officially remeasured to 428.82 gross tons.
- 1866: Rebuilt at Detroit and ran on Lake Erie.
- 1867–69: Involved in multiple collisions in the Welland Canal and Lake Erie.
- 1869: Sank near Kelley’s Island after grounding but was raised and repaired.
- 1870s: Ran routes between Chicago, Milwaukee, and Lake Ontario.
- 1880: Chartered for a traveling circus on Lake Michigan.
- 1881: Purchased by William A. Russell, Chicago; its passenger accommodations were removed to serve the lumber trade between Chicago and Canadian northern ports.
On October 3, 1881, while carrying a load of cedar, the Granite State began to leak badly and was intentionally run ashore near Claybanks pier, south of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Despite these efforts, the vessel was pounded to pieces by waves before salvage operations could be carried out. The engine was eventually recovered in September 1882.
Significant Incidents
- 1853: Struck a pier in Cleveland harbor.
- 1862: Damaged in collision with schooner Australia.
- 1869: Sank near Kelley’s Island after grounding.
- 1881: Intentionally run ashore due to leaking.
Final Disposition
Wrecked, broken up, engine salvaged in 1882.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No conclusive archaeological survey is known; it is presumed the wreck was fully destroyed by weather and salvage.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”granite-state-us-10815″ title=”References & Links”]
The Granite State was a representative of early screw-propeller canallers on the Great Lakes, with a long service life marked by collisions, groundings, and repairs. Its final loss in 1881 underscores the harsh working environment of Lake Michigan, where even sturdy ships could be overwhelmed by storms and mechanical failures.
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: Granite State
- Year Built: 1852
- Official Number: 10815
- Type: Propeller (Canaller)
- Hull Material: Wood, with wooden arches built in on each side
- Number of Decks: 2
- Built at: Ohio City (Cleveland), Ohio
- Builder: Moses & Quayle
- Original Owners: Philo Chamberlain & J.W. Crawford, Cleveland, OH
- Propulsion: Screw, high-pressure oscillating engine built by Edmond Reese at Cuyahoga Works
- Number of Masts: 1
- Hull Dimensions: Length 137 ft 4 in (41.8 m), Beam 24 ft 10 in (7.6 m), Depth 11 ft (3.4 m)
- Tonnage: 351.73 tons (old measurement), later 428.82 gross tons (after rebuilds)
- Final Location: South Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, Lake Michigan
- Date Lost: October 3, 1881
- How Lost: Leaking; intentionally run ashore on a reef near Claybanks pier, then broke up before salvage
- Final Cargo: Cedar
Vessel Type Description
The Granite State was a wooden-hulled screw-propeller freighter built for Great Lakes and canal navigation, classed as a “canaller” due to its dimensions allowing transit through the Welland Canal. Its design included built-in wooden arches for hull strength. Originally equipped with an oscillating steam engine, it operated widely across the Great Lakes, carrying diverse bulk cargo.
History
The Granite State had a long and eventful career on the Great Lakes:
- 1852: Enrolled at Cleveland; operated freight routes from Ogdensburg, NY to upper lakes ports.
- 1853: Struck a pier in Cleveland harbor with 100 barrels of salt; freed after two days.
- 1855: Transferred to the Northern Transportation Company.
- 1861: Strengthened and continued service.
- 1862: Damaged in collision with schooner Australia in the Welland Canal.
- 1864: Officially remeasured to 428.82 gross tons.
- 1866: Rebuilt at Detroit and ran on Lake Erie.
- 1867–69: Involved in multiple collisions in the Welland Canal and Lake Erie.
- 1869: Sank near Kelley’s Island after grounding but was raised and repaired.
- 1870s: Ran routes between Chicago, Milwaukee, and Lake Ontario.
- 1880: Chartered for a traveling circus on Lake Michigan.
- 1881: Purchased by William A. Russell, Chicago; its passenger accommodations were removed to serve the lumber trade between Chicago and Canadian northern ports.
On October 3, 1881, while carrying a load of cedar, the Granite State began to leak badly and was intentionally run ashore near Claybanks pier, south of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Despite these efforts, the vessel was pounded to pieces by waves before salvage operations could be carried out. The engine was eventually recovered in September 1882.
Final Disposition
Wrecked, broken up, engine salvaged in 1882.
NOTMARs & Advisories
No current Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) are associated with the site.
Located By & Date
Remains of the Granite State were visible at the time of loss but have not been documented in modern surveys.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No conclusive archaeological survey is known; it is presumed the wreck was fully destroyed by weather and salvage.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Ships Database
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Bowling Green State University Historical Collections of the Great Lakes
- Local newspaper archives (news.google.com/newspapers, chroniclingamerica.loc.gov)
Conclusion
The Granite State was a representative of early screw-propeller canallers on the Great Lakes, with a long service life marked by collisions, groundings, and repairs. Its final loss in 1881 underscores the harsh working environment of Lake Michigan, where even sturdy ships could be overwhelmed by storms and mechanical failures.
Keywords
Granite State, propeller, canaller, Lake Michigan, shipwreck, lumber cargo, Great Lakes maritime history