Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Hattie Taylor
- Type: Two-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1874
- Builder: Allen, McClelland & Co.
- Dimensions: Length 84.1 ft (25.6 m); Beam 22.6 ft (6.9 m); Depth 8.1 ft (2.5 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 84.84 gross tons
- Depth at Wreck Site: 32 m / 105 ft
- Location: Approx. 5 miles SE of Sheboygan, Lake Michigan
- Coordinates: N 43° 40.890', W 87° 39.290'
- Official Number: 96270
- Original Owners: Peter Clausen (¾); Fred Banfield (¼)
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Hetty Taylor was a wooden two-masted schooner, built for short-distance freight trading across Lake Michigan. Her hull and rigging were typical of small coastal vessels serving secondary ports. Designed to carry lumber, cordwood, and general cargo, she also functioned in the seasonal grain trade.
Description
Launched in 1874 by Allen, McClelland & Co. in Milwaukee, Hetty Taylor operated mainly between Milwaukee and smaller ports including Sister Bay, Egg Harbor, Green Bay, and Muskegon. A labor-saving cooperative, the Milwaukee Shipyard produced her as part of a fleet of fast, small coastal schooners.
She was damaged in summer 1874 while undermanned in heavy weather, losing her foretopmast. In December 1876, she grounded near Eagle Harbor Bluffs on Lake Superior and was refloated in March 1877.
History
On 26 August 1880, sailing light to Escanaba, she encountered a sudden squall off Sheboygan. Capsizing around 11:00 p.m., all five crew escaped in a yawl. Divers attempted salvage over the next eight months but failed due to equipment malfunctions, weather, and deterioration. Both masts were removed; the schooner sank upright in 105 ft of water.
Significant Incidents
- Damaged in summer 1874 while undermanned in heavy weather, losing her foretopmast.
- Grounded near Eagle Harbor Bluffs on Lake Superior in December 1876; refloated in March 1877.
- Capsized on 26 August 1880 during a squall off Sheboygan; all crew survived.
Final Disposition
Despite salvage attempts by the tugs Messenger, Winslow, and others, Hetty Taylor remained unrecoverable. Valued at $4,000 and insured for $1,800, she was eventually abandoned. The hull rests upright with minimal disturbance at depth.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Located in the mid-1990s by divers Robert and Charles Thom with Wisconsin Historical Society archaeologists. Site documented and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. The site is protected, with a seasonal mooring buoy installed. It is not hazardous to navigation, but is considered an advanced dive due to depth. Zebra mussel colonization has been noted.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”hattie-taylor-us-96270″ title=”References & Links”]
All crew survived the incident, with Master C.M. Causland and four crew escaping via yawl. No known memorials exist for the crew; genealogical research can be conducted through FindAGrave.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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