Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Hampton
- Type: Wooden brig, 2-masted
- Year Built: 1845
- Builder: Asa Wilcox, Three Mile Bay (Pillar Point), New York
- Dimensions: 115 ft x 23 ft x 9 ft (35 m x 7 m x 2.7 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 174 gross tons
- Location: 8 miles off Sheboygan, Wisconsin
- Official Number: 11305
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Hampton was a large wooden brig, built in 1845 at Three Mile Bay, New York, by Asa Wilcox. At the time of her launch, she was considered one of the largest vessels on the Great Lakes, serving primarily as a cargo carrier for the lumber trade.
Description
The Hampton was a large wooden brig, built in 1845 at Three Mile Bay, New York, by Asa Wilcox. At the time of her launch, she was considered one of the largest vessels on the Great Lakes, serving primarily as a cargo carrier for the lumber trade.
History
The Hampton had a long career spanning nearly three decades, navigating the Great Lakes with various cargoes. However, she was no stranger to disasters:
- November 21, 1857: She was driven ashore and wrecked four miles south of New Buffalo, Michigan, during a storm. At the time, she was owned by E.K. Bruce.
- Despite this incident, she was salvaged, repaired, and returned to service, continuing her work as a lumber transport vessel.
Significant Incidents
- November 21, 1857: Driven ashore and wrecked four miles south of New Buffalo, Michigan, during a storm.
Final Disposition
On September 20, 1873, the Hampton was caught in a violent storm while 8 miles off Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Battling heavy waves and high winds, she became waterlogged and ultimately broke apart offshore—a total loss.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck of the Hampton remains submerged in Lake Michigan, with no current information on its condition or accessibility for divers.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”hampton-us-11305″ title=”References & Links”]
The Hampton had an impressive 28-year career on the Great Lakes, surviving severe storms and shipwrecks before her final destruction off Sheboygan in 1873. Though she was lost, her crew’s dramatic survival on a makeshift raft remains a remarkable story of resilience in Great Lakes maritime history.
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.
HAMPTON
Identification & Site Information
- Other Names: None
- Official Number: 11305
- Vessel Type: Wooden brig, 2-masted
- Builder: Asa Wilcox, Three Mile Bay (Pillar Point), New York
- Year Built: 1845
- Specifications: 115 ft x 23 ft x 9 ft (35 m x 7 m x 2.7 m), 174 gross tons
- Date Lost: September 20, 1873
- Location: 8 miles off Sheboygan, Wisconsin
- Lake: Michigan
- Cause of Loss: Storm
- Loss of Life: None
- Cargo: Lumber
Description
The Hampton was a large wooden brig, built in 1845 at Three Mile Bay, New York, by Asa Wilcox. At the time of her launch, she was considered one of the largest vessels on the Great Lakes, serving primarily as a cargo carrier for the lumber trade.
History & Previous Incidents
The Hampton had a long career spanning nearly three decades, navigating the Great Lakes with various cargoes. However, she was no stranger to disasters:
- November 21, 1857: She was driven ashore and wrecked four miles south of New Buffalo, Michigan, during a storm. At the time, she was owned by E.K. Bruce.
- Despite this incident, she was salvaged, repaired, and returned to service, continuing her work as a lumber transport vessel.
Final Disposition – Storm of 1873
On September 20, 1873, the Hampton was caught in a violent storm while 8 miles off Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Battling heavy waves and high winds, she became waterlogged and ultimately broke apart offshore—a total loss.
Heroic Crew Survival
Despite the destruction of the vessel, her entire crew survived through incredible ingenuity:
- As the brig fell to pieces, the crew built a makeshift raft from available debris.
- They drifted for 12 hours on Lake Michigan before being rescued by the passing schooner Jo Vilas.
Located By & Date Found
Nil return
Notmars & Advisories
Nil return
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Research
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Save Ontario Shipwrecks
Conclusion
The Hampton had an impressive 28-year career on the Great Lakes, surviving severe storms and shipwrecks before her final destruction off Sheboygan in 1873. Though she was lost, her crew’s dramatic survival on a makeshift raft remains a remarkable story of resilience in Great Lakes maritime history.
#GreatLakesShipwrecks #LakeMichigan #MaritimeHistory #ShipwreckExploration #HamptonBrig #SailingVessels #WoodenBrigs
The Hampton was a large wooden brig, built in 1845 at Three Mile Bay, New York, by Asa Wilcox. At the time of her launch, she was considered one of the largest vessels on the Great Lakes, serving primarily as a cargo carrier for the lumber trade. hampton-us-11305 1873-09-20 07:56:00