Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Homer Ramsdell
- Type: Two-masted wooden clipper-rigged schooner
- Year Built: 1853
- Builder: F.N. & B.B. Jones, Buffalo, New York
- Dimensions: Approx. 119 ft (36.3 m) length × 26 ft (7.9 m) beam × 10 ft (3.0 m) depth; 276-ton vessel
- Registered Tonnage: 276 tons
- Location: North Manitou Island, Lake Michigan
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Homer Ramsdell was a fast clipper-rigged schooner—built for speed and efficiency, commonly used in mid-19th-century lumber transport on the Great Lakes. Its sleek design featured two tall masts and refined lines to navigate lake winds effectively.
Description
With a length of 119 ft and shallow 10 ft draft, she carried sizable cargoes of lumber. The addition of a Worthington steam pump indicates preparation for heavy-duty voyages and emergency preparedness.
History
Built in Buffalo in 1853, Homer Ramsdell operated primarily in the lumber trade. Over three years, she made routine runs across Lake Michigan, transporting timber to markets in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
Significant Incidents
On November 6, 1856, during a winter storm, her hull failed near North Manitou Island. The steam pump was quickly overwhelmed; the vessel sprang leaks, took on water, and grounded. Though the crew reached shore, the schooner soon foundered in deep water and was lost.
Final Disposition
Her loss was immediately recorded on November 6, 1856. The hull sank in deep water off North Manitou; no documented rediscovery or wreck survey exists.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No Notices to Mariners were issued at the time, and no navigation markers were ever placed. Debris and submerged remains are presumed buried offshore, posing negligible hazard today.
Resources & Links
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The Homer Ramsdell (built 1853) exemplified mid-19th-century clipper-schooner design tailored for lumber haulage on the Great Lakes. On 6 November 1856, it suffered catastrophic hull failure in a storm off North Manitou Island, Lake Michigan. While the crew survived, the vessel foundered in deep water and no traceable wreck site remains. This incident illustrates the risks early wooden schooners faced as Great Lakes shipping expanded in the mid-1800s.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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