Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Ida H. Bloom
- Type: Scow Schooner
- Year Built: 1864
- Builder: R. Cowles
- Dimensions: Length: 85 ft (25.9 m); Beam: 20 ft (6.1 m); Depth of hold: 5 ft (1.5 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 90 tons (old style)
- Location: One mile below Clay Banks, Wisconsin
- Official Number: 12134
- Original Owners: Various, including William Carter of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Scow Schooner – a flat-bottomed wooden sailing vessel commonly used on the Great Lakes for transporting lumber and bulk materials.Description
- Hull Material: Wood
- Number of Decks: 1
- Number of Masts: 2
- Original Dimensions (pre-lengthening): Not recorded
- Post-lengthening (1865):
- Length: 85 ft (25.9 m)
- Beam: 20 ft (6.1 m)
- Depth: 5 ft (1.5 m)
- Tonnage: 90 tons (old style)
History
The Ida H. Bloom was built in Detroit by R. Cowles in 1864 and initially enrolled there. In the same year, she capsized on Lake Erie but was subsequently raised. In 1865, the vessel was lengthened, increasing her tonnage to 90 tons. Ownership and enrollment shifted over the years:
- 1868: Owned in White Lake, Michigan (81.05 gross tons registered)
- 1871: Registered again in Detroit
- 1876: Owned by William Carter of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The vessel received repairs in 1875, indicating continued use and maintenance during her operational life. As a scow schooner, she was likely employed in the coastal lumber trade, hauling low-value, high-volume cargoes.
Significant Incidents
On 15 November 1879, the Ida H. Bloom ran aground near Clay Banks, Wisconsin, on Lake Michigan. The grounding occurred in an era of frequent late-season storms. She was abandoned at the site. No loss of life was reported.
Final Disposition
There are no records indicating that the wreck has been located, surveyed, or confirmed by modern dive or sonar expeditions.
Current Condition & Accessibility
None noted.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”ida-h-bloom-us-12134″ title=”References & Links”]
The Ida H. Bloom serves as a typical example of 19th-century scow schooners — small, workaday vessels vital to the regional timber and resource economy of the Great Lakes. Though her wreck has not been formally located, the details of her abandonment off Clay Banks, Wisconsin, are well-documented in marine directories and underwriter reports. Her wreckage may remain buried or dispersed in the nearshore lakebed.
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(s): Ida H. Bloom
- Official Number: 12134
- Year Built: 1864
- Built At: Detroit, Michigan
- Final Location: One mile below Clay Banks, Wisconsin, Lake Michigan
- Date Lost: 15 November 1879
- Final Cargo: Railroad ties and wood
Vessel Type
Scow Schooner – a flat-bottomed wooden sailing vessel commonly used on the Great Lakes for transporting lumber and bulk materials.
Description
- Hull Material: Wood
- Number of Decks: 1
- Number of Masts: 2
- Original Dimensions (pre-lengthening): Not recorded
- Post-lengthening (1865):
- Length: 85 ft (25.9 m)
- Beam: 20 ft (6.1 m)
- Depth: 5 ft (1.5 m)
- Tonnage: 90 tons (old style)
History
The Ida H. Bloom was built in Detroit by R. Cowles in 1864 and initially enrolled there. In the same year, she capsized on Lake Erie but was subsequently raised. In 1865, the vessel was lengthened, increasing her tonnage to 90 tons. Ownership and enrollment shifted over the years:
- 1868: Owned in White Lake, Michigan (81.05 gross tons registered)
- 1871: Registered again in Detroit
- 1876: Owned by William Carter of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The vessel received repairs in 1875, indicating continued use and maintenance during her operational life. As a scow schooner, she was likely employed in the coastal lumber trade, hauling low-value, high-volume cargoes.
Final Disposition
On 15 November 1879, the Ida H. Bloom ran aground near Clay Banks, Wisconsin, on Lake Michigan. The grounding occurred in an era of frequent late-season storms. She was abandoned at the site. No loss of life was reported.
Located By & Date Found
There are no records indicating that the wreck has been located, surveyed, or confirmed by modern dive or sonar expeditions.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Steamboat Era in the Muskokas by Richard Tatley
- C. Patrick Labadie Collection
- Board of Lake Underwriters Marine Directory
- Peter J. VanderLinden private archival notes
Conclusion
The Ida H. Bloom serves as a typical example of 19th-century scow schooners — small, workaday vessels vital to the regional timber and resource economy of the Great Lakes. Though her wreck has not been formally located, the details of her abandonment off Clay Banks, Wisconsin, are well-documented in marine directories and underwriter reports. Her wreckage may remain buried or dispersed in the nearshore lakebed.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Tags: Scow schooner, Lake Michigan wreck, timber trade, Clay Banks, abandoned wreck, Great Lakes schooners
- Categories: Lumber carriers, 19th-century schooners, wooden vessels, Lake Michigan maritime history
- Glossary:
- Scow Schooner: A broad, flat-bottomed schooner designed for shallow waters and heavy cargoes
- Clay Banks: A shoreline region in Door County, Wisconsin, prone to shipwrecks due to shoals and weather exposure