Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Grape Shot (1855)

Explore the well-preserved wreck of the Grape Shot, a mid-19th century wooden schooner, located in shallow waters near Plum Island.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Grape Shot
  • Type: Wooden centerboard schooner
  • Year Built: 1855
  • Builder: B. B. Jones
  • Dimensions: 131 ft (40 m) × 26.5 ft (8.1 m) × 9 ft (2.7 m)
  • Registered Tonnage: ~300 gross tons
  • Depth at Wreck Site: 1 m / 3 ft
  • Location: Plum Island, Lake Michigan (north shore)
  • Coordinates: ~0.3 km NW of Plum Island Coast Guard Station
  • Official Number: Not listed
  • Original Owners: A. Stewart (Chicago)
  • Number of Masts: Two masts

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden centerboard schooner with two masts, fore-and-aft rigged. Designed for bulk freight transport of lumber, grain, and salt, with shallow draft enabling use of smaller ports.

Description

The Grape Shot was built at Buffalo, New York, in 1855. Typical of her type, she had a shallow draft and centerboard trunk for variable lake conditions. Owned by Chicago merchant A. Stewart, she primarily served in the lumber and salt trade on Lake Michigan.

History

  • Final Cargo: ~50,000 board feet of lumber and salt.
  • Voyage: Likely northbound to Chicago from a Michigan or Wisconsin port.
  • Incident: Stranded in a severe November storm of 1867, grounding hard on Plum Island’s north shore. Attempts by the Leviathan to free her failed. The George Dunbar salvaged cargo and rigging before abandonment.

Significant Incidents

  • No navigation hazards reported.
  • Protected archaeological site: removal of artifacts prohibited under Wisconsin law and the U.S. Abandoned Shipwreck Act.

Final Disposition

Declared a total loss in November 1867. Insured for $7,500, appraised at $10,000. Abandoned in situ, her hull gradually settled but remained preserved.

Current Condition & Accessibility

  • Depth: 2–3 m (6–10 ft).
  • Preservation: Starboard hull, centerboard trunk, stempost, keelson, and framing intact.
  • Substrate: Sand and flat rock.
  • Visibility: Often high due to zebra mussel filtration.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”grape-shot-1855″ title=”References & Links”]

The Grape Shot is a well-preserved example of a mid-19th century wooden schooner, accessible in shallow water near Plum Island. Recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, it provides a unique opportunity for divers and historians to study a typical lumber schooner of the era. Its accessibility makes it a popular and educational dive site.

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 Card (Site Style)

Name: Grape Shot
Other Names: None
Official Number: Not listed
Registry: United States
Vessel Type: Wooden centerboard schooner
Builder: B. B. Jones
Place Built: Buffalo, New York
Year Built: 1855
Dimensions: 131 ft (40 m) × 26.5 ft (8.1 m) × 9 ft (2.7 m)
Tonnage: ~300 gross tons
Cargo on Final Voyage: Lumber (~50,000 board feet) and salt
Date of Loss: First week of November 1867
Location: Plum Island, Lake Michigan (north shore)
Coordinates: ~0.3 km NW of Plum Island Coast Guard Station
Depth: 2–3 m (6–10 ft)
Home Port: Chicago, Illinois
Owners: A. Stewart (Chicago)
Crew: Not recorded
Casualties: None reported

Vessel Type

Wooden centerboard schooner with two masts, fore-and-aft rigged. Designed for bulk freight transport of lumber, grain, and salt, with shallow draft enabling use of smaller ports.

Description

The Grape Shot was built at Buffalo, New York, in 1855. Typical of her type, she had a shallow draft and centerboard trunk for variable lake conditions. Owned by Chicago merchant A. Stewart, she primarily served in the lumber and salt trade on Lake Michigan.

History

  • Final Cargo: ~50,000 board feet of lumber and salt.
  • Voyage: Likely northbound to Chicago from a Michigan or Wisconsin port.
  • Incident: Stranded in a severe November storm of 1867, grounding hard on Plum Island’s north shore. Attempts by the Leviathan to free her failed. The George Dunbar salvaged cargo and rigging before abandonment.

Final Disposition

Declared a total loss in November 1867. Insured for $7,500, appraised at $10,000. Abandoned in situ, her hull gradually settled but remained preserved.

Located By & Date Found

  • Rediscovered: Wisconsin Historical Society divers, 1980s.
  • Archaeological Survey: Documented in 2015.
  • Designation: Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, 2016 (NRHP Ref. #16000087).

Wreck Condition

  • Depth: 2–3 m (6–10 ft).
  • Preservation: Starboard hull, centerboard trunk, stempost, keelson, and framing intact.
  • Substrate: Sand and flat rock.
  • Visibility: Often high due to zebra mussel filtration.

Notmars & Advisories

  • No navigation hazards reported.
  • Protected archaeological site: removal of artifacts prohibited under Wisconsin law and the U.S. Abandoned Shipwreck Act.

Resources & Links

Shore Dive Information

  • Entry: Boat access from Plum Island or Washington Island.
  • Depth: 2–3 m (6–10 ft).
  • Current: Minimal.
  • Visibility: Excellent in summer months.
  • Emergency: Washington Island EMS (U.S. 911).
  • Regulations: No permit required; strict prohibition on artifact removal.
  • Dive Support: Available through Door County dive shops.

Conclusion

The Grape Shot is a well-preserved example of a mid-19th century wooden schooner, accessible in shallow water near Plum Island. Recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, it provides a unique opportunity for divers and historians to study a typical lumber schooner of the era. Its accessibility makes it a popular and educational dive site.

NOAA/WHS Shipwreck Record Card

Wreck Name: Grape Shot
Other Names: None
Official Number: Not listed
Coordinates: ~0.3 km NW of Plum Island Coast Guard Station
Depth: 2–3 m (6–10 ft)
Location Description: Plum Island, Lake Michigan (north shore)
Vessel Type: Wooden schooner
Material: Wood
Dimensions: 131 ft × 26.5 ft × 9 ft; ~300 GT
Condition: Partially intact, preserved hull remains
Cause of Loss: Grounding during storm, November 1867
Discovery Date: Rediscovered 1980s
Discovered By: Wisconsin Historical Society divers
Method: Underwater survey
Legal Notes: Protected under Wisconsin law and Abandoned Shipwreck Act
Hazards: None significant
Permits Required: None for diving; artifact removal prohibited

Keywords

#GrapeShot #LakeMichiganShipwreck #PlumIsland #WisconsinShipwrecks #19thCenturySchooner #LumberTrade #ShallowDive #NationalRegister

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