Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Harmony
- Type: schooner-barge
- Year Built: 1872
- Builder: A.A. Turner, Trenton, Michigan
- Dimensions: 152 ft x 28 ft x 12 ft (46.3 m x 8.5 m x 3.7 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 332 tons
- Location: Chicago Harbour, Lake Michigan
- Official Number: 95191
- Original Owners: Reitz Lumber Company, Chicago
- Number of Masts: 3
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Harmony was a wooden schooner-barge, a vessel designed to be towed by steamers while carrying bulk cargo, in this case, lumber.
Description
Built in 1872, the Harmony was a large, three-masted schooner-barge used to transport lumber, a major industry on the Great Lakes at the time. It had been recently rebuilt in Chicago during 1874-75, just before its loss.
History
On September 16, 1875, the Harmony was under tow behind the propeller steamer Charles Reitz when a severe storm hit. The rough conditions caused the Harmony to break free from its towline. Now adrift, the vessel was swept into Chicago Harbor, where it was driven around the end of the north pier and onto the wreck of the Onondaga, a ship that had previously sunk in the area.
As the storm continued, the Harmony sank to its decks, taking on heavy damage. Over the next four days, the ship was relentlessly pounded by waves, breaking apart by September 20. The wreckage, including its cargo of lumber and its own timbers, was scattered along the shore, with only part of it being salvaged.
The Harmony was owned by the Reitz Lumber Company of Chicago, a firm heavily involved in the transportation and sale of lumber throughout the Great Lakes region.
Significant Incidents
- September 16, 1875: The Harmony breaks free from tow during a storm.
- September 20, 1875: The vessel breaks apart after being battered by waves.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss after breaking apart in the storm, with debris scattered along the shoreline. No known salvage attempts beyond the recovery of some lumber.
Current Condition & Accessibility
There is no confirmed modern discovery of the wreck, though remnants may still exist near Chicago Harbor.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”harmony-us-95191″ title=”References & Links”]
The loss of the Harmony demonstrates the dangers of schooner-barge towing in heavy storms, especially in congested harbors like Chicago. The vessel’s unfortunate collision with the already sunken Onondaga sealed its fate, leaving it battered beyond repair. Though no lives were lost, the ship and its cargo were largely destroyed, marking another tragic chapter in the lumber trade’s history on the Great Lakes.
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.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Harmony
- Former Names: None
- Official Number: 95191
- Date Built & Launched: 1872
- Builder: A.A. Turner, Trenton, Michigan
- Measurements: 152 ft x 28 ft x 12 ft (46.3 m x 8.5 m x 3.7 m)
- Tonnage: 332 tons
- Date Lost: September 16, 1875
- Place of Loss: Chicago Harbour, Lake Michigan
- Type of Loss: Storm
- Loss of Life: None
- Cargo: Lumber
Vessel Type
The Harmony was a wooden schooner-barge, a vessel designed to be towed by steamers while carrying bulk cargo, in this case, lumber.
Description
Built in 1872, the Harmony was a large, three-masted schooner-barge used to transport lumber, a major industry on the Great Lakes at the time. It had been recently rebuilt in Chicago during 1874-75, just before its loss.
History
On September 16, 1875, the Harmony was under tow behind the propeller steamer Charles Reitz when a severe storm hit. The rough conditions caused the Harmony to break free from its towline. Now adrift, the vessel was swept into Chicago Harbor, where it was driven around the end of the north pier and onto the wreck of the Onondaga, a ship that had previously sunk in the area.
As the storm continued, the Harmony sank to its decks, taking on heavy damage. Over the next four days, the ship was relentlessly pounded by waves, breaking apart by September 20. The wreckage, including its cargo of lumber and its own timbers, was scattered along the shore, with only part of it being salvaged.
The Harmony was owned by the Reitz Lumber Company of Chicago, a firm heavily involved in the transportation and sale of lumber throughout the Great Lakes region.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss after breaking apart in the storm, with debris scattered along the shoreline. No known salvage attempts beyond the recovery of some lumber.
Located By & Date Found
There is no confirmed modern discovery of the wreck, though remnants may still exist near Chicago Harbor.
Notmars & Advisories
No known navigation hazards related to the wreck site today.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Maritime Database – Bowling Green State University
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
Conclusion
The loss of the Harmony demonstrates the dangers of schooner-barge towing in heavy storms, especially in congested harbors like Chicago. The vessel’s unfortunate collision with the already sunken Onondaga sealed its fate, leaving it battered beyond repair. Though no lives were lost, the ship and its cargo were largely destroyed, marking another tragic chapter in the lumber trade’s history on the Great Lakes.
Suggested Keywords & Categories
- Keywords: Harmony shipwreck, Chicago Harbor shipwrecks, Lake Michigan schooner-barge wrecks, Great Lakes lumber trade, Onondaga wreck, Reitz Lumber Company
- Categories: Great Lakes Shipwrecks, Lake Michigan History, Storm-Related Wrecks, 19th-Century Maritime Disasters
- Glossary Terms: Schooner-Barge, Tow Steamer, Ship Stranding, Lumber Trade, Harbor Wreck