Hattie Howard US 11760

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: HATTIE HOWARD
• Type: Three-Masted Wooden Schooner
• Year Built: 1868
• Builder: Fitzgerald & Stewart, Port Huron, Michigan
• Dimensions: Length: 132 ft (40.2 m); Beam: 26 ft (7.9 m); Depth of hold: 11 ft (3.4 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 273 tons
• Location: Near Oswego, New York
• Official Number: 11760
• Original Owners: Henry Howard, Port Huron, MI
• Number of Masts: 3

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The HATTIE HOWARD was a wooden three-masted schooner, built for Great Lakes cargo transport, primarily lumber. These schooners were common bulk carriers on the lakes, handling materials like lumber, coal, and grain. Schooners of this size were well-suited for cross-lake trade but were vulnerable to storms, especially near harbor entrances.

Description

The HATTIE HOWARD had an 11-year career, mainly carrying lumber across the Great Lakes, before it wrecked near Oswego, New York, in 1879.

History

Key Events in the Vessel’s History:

• 1868: Built in Port Huron, Michigan, by Fitzgerald & Stewart for Henry Howard.
• November 16, 1879: Destroyed in a storm near Oswego, New York, on Lake Ontario. (Some sources incorrectly list 1878 as the year of loss.)

Significant Incidents

The Disaster:

• The schooner was inbound from Port Hope, Ontario, carrying lumber.
• A strong gale caused it to lose control (“broached to”) near Oswego Harbor.
• It struck the west pier, stranded, and began to break apart.
• The U.S. Lifesaving Service rescued most of the crew, but one sailor perished.
• The vessel was completely destroyed by waves and could not be salvaged.

Final Disposition

The HATTIE HOWARD was lost on November 16, 1879, when it struck the west pier near the Oswego lighthouse in a gale and broke apart.

Current Condition & Accessibility

There are no confirmed reports of the HATTIE HOWARD‘s wreck being discovered or documented near Oswego, New York, in Lake Ontario. If any remains exist, they may be buried under sand near the Oswego Harbor piers.

Resources & Links

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The HATTIE HOWARD was one of many Great Lakes schooners lost in violent storms, particularly near harbor entrances, where strong winds and waves could easily push ships into piers or breakwalls. Its loss near Oswego in 1879, despite the efforts of the Lifesaving Service, reflects the dangers faced by 19th-century sailors, particularly those navigating the Great Lakes during storm season.