Shotline Diving

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H.D. Coffinberry US 95285

Explore the remains of the H.D. Coffinberry, a wooden steam screw cargo ship abandoned in 1917, lying in shallow waters of Lake Superior.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: H.D. Coffinberry
  • Type: Wooden steam screw cargo ship
  • Year Built: 1874
  • Builder: Thomas Arnold, East Saginaw, Michigan
  • Dimensions: 191.4 ft (58.3 m) × 33.5 ft (10.2 m) × 13.4 ft (4.1 m)
  • Registered Tonnage: 778 gross tons
  • Depth at Wreck Site: 1 m / 3 ft
  • Location: Red Cliff Bay, Bayfield County, WI
  • Coordinates: N 46° 53.007′, W 090° 45.789′
  • Official Number: 95285
  • Original Owners: C.G. King & D.K. Clint (Rust, King & Company, original); later Rust, King & Co., Cleveland, OH
  • Number of Masts: None

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Vessel Type

Wooden steam screw cargo ship.

Description

Description

The H.D. Coffinberry was a large wooden steam screw freighter built in 1874 at East Saginaw, Michigan, by shipbuilder Thomas Arnold. At 191 feet long, she was a versatile cargo carrier designed to haul coal, iron ore, grain, and later lumber. She was initially paired with the schooner-barges D.K. Clint and L.C. Butts in the coal and corn trades. Over her long career, she underwent significant rebuilding and engine upgrades, reflecting her owners’ attempts to keep her competitive in the rapidly modernizing Great Lakes fleet.

History

History

  • 1874 – Launched at East Saginaw, MI, for Rust, King & Company. Primarily engaged in coal and grain trade, towing large schooner-barges.
  • 1879 – Repaired; tonnage revised to 858 gross / 706 net.
  • 1881 – Overhauled and painted.
  • 1887 (Jun) – Collision with schooner Mary D. Ayer off Chicago.
  • 1890 (May) – Stranded in Shingle Bay, St. Mary’s River.
  • 1891 – Rebuilt at a cost of $40,000; insurance rating A2.
  • 1892 – Reboilered by Phoenix Iron Works, Port Huron.
  • 1892 (Aug 25) – Grounded on Lake Huron with iron ore cargo.
  • 1893 – New double steeple compound engine installed, 625 hp.
  • 1894 (May) – Collision with schooner Wave Crest on Lake Ontario.
  • 1898 (Oct) – Grounded near Duluth, MN, Lake Superior.
  • 1900 (May) – Grounded near Thunder Bay Island, Lake Huron, with consort Chetocah.
  • 1900 (Oct) – Collided with and sank the steamer F.E. Spinner in St. Mary’s River.

Significant Incidents

Significant Incidents

  • Collision with schooner Mary D. Ayer off Chicago in 1887.
  • Stranded in Shingle Bay, St. Mary’s River in 1890.
  • Grounded on Lake Huron with iron ore cargo in 1892.
  • Collision with schooner Wave Crest on Lake Ontario in 1894.
  • Grounded near Duluth, MN, Lake Superior in 1898.
  • Collided with and sank the steamer F.E. Spinner in St. Mary’s River in 1900.

Final Disposition

Final Disposition

By 1912, the Coffinberry’s owners were in financial crisis. The vessel was abandoned at Ashland, Wisconsin, after her crew and captain struck, libeled the vessel, and assigned their claims to local attorneys. She sank at the dock, and by 1917 was partially raised by Duluth wreckers for possible salvage. Ultimately, she was towed to Red Cliff Bay, north of Bayfield, and abandoned. Her enrollment was formally surrendered at Toledo, Ohio, on December 31, 1917, listed as “abandoned.”

Current Condition & Accessibility

Current Condition & Accessibility

Today, the Coffinberry lies in 3–6 ft of water at the base of a clay slope on the north side of Red Cliff Bay. The remains consist primarily of the lower hull, including keel, keelson, floors, stringers, and exterior planking. Bow and stern are missing, though boilers are present at the eastern end of the site, confirming hull orientation. The wreck lies parallel to shore, with the bow bearing 285° magnetic. Much of the site is buried under sand and silt.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”h-d-coffinberry-us-95285″ title=”References & Links”]

Closing Summary

The H.D. Coffinberry serves as a historical reminder of the challenges faced by Great Lakes shipping in the early 20th century. Its remains are protected under Wisconsin law, and the site is sensitive to erosion and visitor disturbance.

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: H.D. Coffinberry Other Names: None Official Number: 95285 Registry: United States Vessel Type: Wooden steam screw cargo ship Builder: Thomas Arnold, East Saginaw, Michigan Year Built: 1874 Dimensions: 191.4 ft (58.3 m) × 33.5 ft (10.2 m) × 13.4 ft (4.1 m) Tonnage: 778 gross tons Propulsion: Steam screw; compound engine (rebuilt 1893), 625 hp at 95 rpm Boilers: 2 (rebuilt 1892 by Phoenix Iron Works, Port Huron) Cargo on Final Voyage: None (laid up and abandoned) Date of Loss: 1917 (abandoned) Cause of Loss: Abandoned following financial collapse of owners; scuttled/deteriorated Final Location: Red Cliff Bay, Lake Superior (near Apostle Islands) Coordinates: N 46° 53.007′, W 090° 45.789′ (Google Maps link) Depth: 3–6 ft (1–2 m) Home Port: Chicago, later Cleveland Owners: C.G. King & D.K. Clint (Rust, King & Company, original); later Rust, King & Co., Cleveland, OH Crew: None aboard at abandonment Casualties: None

Description

The H.D. Coffinberry was a large wooden steam screw freighter built in 1874 at East Saginaw, Michigan, by shipbuilder Thomas Arnold. At 191 feet long, she was a versatile cargo carrier designed to haul coal, iron ore, grain, and later lumber. She was initially paired with the schooner-barges D.K. Clint and L.C. Butts in the coal and corn trades. Over her long career, she underwent significant rebuilding and engine upgrades, reflecting her owners’ attempts to keep her competitive in the rapidly modernizing Great Lakes fleet.

History

  • 1874 – Launched at East Saginaw, MI, for Rust, King & Company. Primarily engaged in coal and grain trade, towing large schooner-barges.
  • 1879 – Repaired; tonnage revised to 858 gross / 706 net.
  • 1881 – Overhauled and painted.
  • 1887 (Jun) – Collision with schooner Mary D. Ayer off Chicago.
  • 1890 (May) – Stranded in Shingle Bay, St. Mary’s River.
  • 1891 – Rebuilt at a cost of $40,000; insurance rating A2.
  • 1892 – Reboilered by Phoenix Iron Works, Port Huron.
  • 1892 (Aug 25) – Grounded on Lake Huron with iron ore cargo.
  • 1893 – New double steeple compound engine installed, 625 hp.
  • 1894 (May) – Collision with schooner Wave Crest on Lake Ontario.
  • 1898 (Oct) – Grounded near Duluth, MN, Lake Superior.
  • 1900 (May) – Grounded near Thunder Bay Island, Lake Huron, with consort Chetocah.
  • 1900 (Oct) – Collided with and sank the steamer F.E. Spinner in St. Mary’s River.

Final Disposition

By 1912, the Coffinberry’s owners were in financial crisis. The vessel was abandoned at Ashland, Wisconsin, after her crew and captain struck, libeled the vessel, and assigned their claims to local attorneys. She sank at the dock, and by 1917 was partially raised by Duluth wreckers for possible salvage. Ultimately, she was towed to Red Cliff Bay, north of Bayfield, and abandoned. Her enrollment was formally surrendered at Toledo, Ohio, on December 31, 1917, listed as “abandoned.”

Current Wreck Site

Today, the Coffinberry lies in 3–6 ft of water at the base of a clay slope on the north side of Red Cliff Bay. The remains consist primarily of the lower hull, including keel, keelson, floors, stringers, and exterior planking. Bow and stern are missing, though boilers are present at the eastern end of the site, confirming hull orientation. The wreck lies parallel to shore, with the bow bearing 285° magnetic. Much of the site is buried under sand and silt.

Located By & Date Found

Known since abandonment in 1917. Site documented in shallow water at Red Cliff Bay; periodically surveyed by Wisconsin Historical Society maritime archaeologists.

Notmars & Advisories

No active Notices to Mariners; shallow wreckage poses no hazard but is sensitive to erosion and visitor disturbance.

Dive Information

Access: Shoreline, wading/snorkel site Entry Point: Red Cliff Bay, near Apostle Islands Conditions: Shallow, fragile wooden remains; buried under silt and sand; visibility variable Depth Range: 3–6 ft (1–2 m) Emergency Contacts: USCG Station Bayfield, WI Permits: Required for survey or excavation (Wisconsin state law) Dive Support: Bayfield dive operators; accessible for snorkel/shoreline heritage viewing

Crew & Casualty Memorials

No loss of life recorded at time of abandonment. No memorials associated with the vessel.

Documented Statements & Extracts

“The lumber carrier Coffinberry, abandoned at Ashland five years ago when the entire crew including the captain struck … was raised at Ashland this week by a party of Duluth wreckers, and towed to Duluth by the tug Valerie.” — *Bayfield County Press*, September 10, 1917.

Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails

Official Number 95285. Built 1874 at East Saginaw, MI, for Rust, King & Co. Enrolled at Chicago and later Cleveland. Rebuilt 1891, reboilered 1892, re-engined 1893. Enrollment surrendered at Toledo, OH, December 31, 1917, listed as “abandoned.” Insurance records not traced.

Site Documentation & Imaging

Surveyed by Wisconsin Historical Society Maritime Preservation Program. Site consists of lower hull remains and boilers. No photogrammetric model currently available.

Resources & Links

References

  1. U.S. Enrollment Records, Official No. 95285.
  2. *Bayfield County Press*, September 10, 1917.
  3. Wisconsin Historical Society Maritime Preservation Program – Coffinberry site file.
  4. Swayze, David. *Shipwreck! A Comprehensive Directory of Great Lakes Losses, 1679–1990.*

NOAA/WHS Shipwreck Record Card

Wreck Name: H.D. Coffinberry Other Names: None Official Number: 95285 Coordinates: N 46° 53.007′, W 090° 45.789′ (Google Maps link) Depth: 3–6 ft (1–2 m) Location Description: Red Cliff Bay, Bayfield County, WI (Lake Superior) Vessel Type: Wooden steam screw cargo ship Material: Wood Dimensions: 191.4 × 33.5 × 13.4 ft; 778 gross tons Condition: Broken lower hull remains; boilers intact; shallow site Cause of Loss: Abandoned following financial failure; towed to Red Cliff Bay and left to rot (1917) Discovery Date: Known since abandonment Discovered By: N/A Method: Historical record Legal Notes: Protected under Wisconsin Submerged Cultural Resources Law Hazards: Fragile wooden remains in shallow water Permits Required: Yes, for survey or artifact recovery
h-d-coffinberry-us-95285 1917-09-26 00:09:00