Henry Cort – Lake Michigan Freighter Shipwreck (1934)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Henry Cort
• Type: Steel whaleback steamer, bulk freighter
• Year Built: 1892
• Builder: American Steel Barge Company, Superior, Wisconsin
• Dimensions: Length 320 ft (97.5 m); Beam 42 ft (12.8 m); Depth of hold ~25 ft (7.6 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 2,234 GRT; ~1,571 NRT
• Depth at Wreck Site: 9.1 m / 30 ft
• Location: North side of Muskegon Channel breakwater, Muskegon, Michigan
• Coordinates: Not specified in sources
• Official Number: 150587
• Original Owners: Minneapolis, St. Paul & Buffalo Steamship Co. (Soo Line) 1892–1896; Bessemer Steamship Co. (1896–c.1901); Pittsburgh Steamship Co. / U.S. Steel (c.1901–1927); Lake Ports Shipping & Navigation Co. (after 1927)
• Number of Masts: Not specified

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The *Henry Cort* was a whaleback-type bulk freighter, designed by Captain Alexander McDougall and built in 1892 by the American Steel Barge Company in Superior, Wisconsin. She was 320 ft between perpendiculars with a 42 ft beam and ~25 ft hold depth, measuring 2,234 gross register tons. Originally named *Pillsbury* and fitted for package freight, she was converted to bulk cargo service upon acquisition by Bessemer Steamship Co. in 1896 and renamed *Henry Cort*. Her hull design, with rounded contours and low freeboard, allowed efficient heavy-cargo movement in Great Lakes waters. In the late 1920s, she was rebuilt and equipped with a crane to serve as a more self-unloading or heavy-lift vessel.

Description

The *Henry Cort* was a whaleback-type bulk freighter, designed by Captain Alexander McDougall and built in 1892 by the American Steel Barge Company in Superior, Wisconsin. She was 320 ft between perpendiculars with a 42 ft beam and ~25 ft hold depth, measuring 2,234 gross register tons. Originally named *Pillsbury* and fitted for package freight, she was converted to bulk cargo service upon acquisition by Bessemer Steamship Co. in 1896 and renamed *Henry Cort*. Her hull design, with rounded contours and low freeboard, allowed efficient heavy-cargo movement in Great Lakes waters. In the late 1920s, she was rebuilt and equipped with a crane to serve as a more self-unloading or heavy-lift vessel.

History

After her launch in 1892, *Pillsbury* operated for the Soo Line under package freight service until 1896, when she was purchased by the Bessemer Steamship Company for bulk cargo use and renamed *Henry Cort*. Around 1901, she was absorbed into the Pittsburgh Steamship Company of U.S. Steel, where she served in iron ore and bulk freight capacity for several decades.

On 17 December 1917, the *Cort* sank near Colchester Reef in Lake Erie following a collision with the steamer *Midvale* while breaking ice; the crew walked across ice to safety. She was raised in April 1918 after several attempts and extensively rebuilt, including new straight sides and flattened deck, returning to service in October 1918.

In 1927 she stranded on Colchester Reef again and was abandoned for insurance, later sold, rebuilt, and converted to a crane-equipped vessel under Lake Ports Shipping & Navigation Co. She also suffered ice damage in 1933 while moored on the Detroit River at Ecorse, Michigan.

Significant Incidents

• 17 December 1917: Sank near Colchester Reef in Lake Erie after a collision with the steamer *Midvale*; crew rescued.
• 1927: Stranded on Colchester Reef and abandoned for insurance.
• 1933: Suffered ice damage while moored on the Detroit River.

Final Disposition

During a gale with winds of approximately 45 mph on 30 November 1934, *Henry Cort* was driven onto the north side of the Muskegon Channel breakwater. The United States Coast Guard cutter Escanaba responded to the distress call. In a dramatic rescue amid heavy seas, a line was shot from the pier to the vessel, and all 25 crew members were brought to safety via hand-over-hand transfer and breeches-buoy methods. Coast Guardsman John Dipert was lost when the surfboat capsized and was never recovered. The wreck later broke in two due to winter storms, was declared a total loss, and scrapped in 1935.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck location on the Muskegon breakwater was immediately evident after the incident in late 1934. The remains are still visibly accessible alongside the exterior of the breakwall.

Resources & Links

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The *Henry Cort* serves as a reminder of the maritime history of the Great Lakes and the challenges faced by vessels in severe weather conditions. Divers and historians alike can appreciate the significance of this wreck, which is accessible for observation and study.