Illinois US 172342

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Illinois
• Type: Dredge barge
• Year Built: 1906
• Builder: Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, Wisconsin
• Dimensions: Length 148 ft (45.1 m); Beam 36 ft (11.0 m); Depth 10 ft (3.05 m)
• Registered Tonnage:
• Depth at Wreck Site: 10 m / 33 ft
• Location: Lake Michigan, off Chicago/Illinois shore
• Coordinates: 41° 50.106′ N, 87° 34.209′ W
• Official Number: 172342
• Original Owners: (Operator unknown) — used as sand dredge barge

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The *Illinois* was a non-self-propelled wooden-hulled dredge barge built in 1906 for use in sand-dredging operations.

Description

The *Illinois* was a non-self-propelled wooden-hulled dredge barge built in 1906 by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. for use in sand-dredging operations. Its hull measured 148 ft in length, 36 ft beam and 10 ft depth. The vessel comprised two primary sections: a working fore-deck and a barge-like sand receiving area. As a dredge barge, it lacked its own propulsion engines and was typically manoeuvred into position by tugs. According to site documentation, the dredging mechanism included a large three-bladed auger mounted on a boom and a 12-ft diameter centrifugal pump which would slurry the sand and water mixture to the barge deck. Many of the mechanical platforms remain on the wreck though the actual drive-motor components have been salvaged.

History

After her construction in 1906 (registered Official No. 172342) the vessel apparently entered service as a sand-dredge barge somewhere in Lake Michigan. Her exact operational career is poorly documented; the archive record summarises that she operated “sometime in the late 1920’s or early 1930’s.”

The final voyage is undocumented in detail. According to dive charter sources, the vessel sank (or was abandoned) and now lies in approximately 24-33 ft of water off the Chicago area, alongside the intentionally sunk barge Holly barge (which was sunk in 2000 as part of an artificial reef).

Significant Incidents

• The cause of loss of the *Illinois* is not definitively recorded.
• The site description notes that the vessel “is mostly disarticulated” and that much of her mechanical gear had been salvaged prior to or after sinking.

Final Disposition

No formal discovery date or discoverer is publicly documented. Recreational dive charter sources indicate the wreck site has been accessed in recent decades.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Access: Boat entry from local dive charter out of Hammond Marina (IN/IL) or Chicago shore.
Entry Point: Dive charter site lists embarkation at Hammond Marina.
Conditions: Shallow water (~24-33 ft/7-10 m), typically good for recreational diving and training; nearshore currents and visibility variable.
Depth Range: 24-33 ft (~7-10 m)
Emergency Contacts: U.S. Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan (Chicago), local dive-charter operators.
Permits: Standard state-waters recreational dive regulations apply; no special permit referenced in sources.
Dive Support: Charter operators.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”illinois-us-172342″ title=”References & Links”]

No documented crew list or casualties are referenced in the sources. If further archival dive records or insurance files are located, a crew manifest may be discovered.