Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Iver Lawson
- Type: Wooden-hulled schooner
- Year Built: 1869
- Builder: Miller shipyard, Chicago, Illinois
- Dimensions: 116 ft × 25.5 ft × 8.3 ft (35.4 m × 7.8 m × 2.5 m); 149 GRT / 141 NRT
- Registered Tonnage: 149 GRT / 141 NRT
- Location: Ashore in Horseshoe Bay, Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Official Number: 12436
- Original Owners: Henry Larson (last known owner)
- Number of Masts: Three-masted
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A sizable three-masted schooner tailored for Great Lakes freight trade, especially bulk cargo like lumber or grain. After construction, she underwent modifications—including shortening, rebuilding, and rig alternations—to adapt to evolving freight demands and sail-handling needs.
Description
The Iver Lawson was a wooden-hulled schooner designed for the transportation of bulk goods across the Great Lakes. Her construction and subsequent modifications reflect the changing needs of maritime trade during her operational years.
History
- 1869, May 4: Enrolled at Chicago; sustained collision damage soon after
- 1871–1888: Changed ownership (Lawson et al to Johnson)
- 1882: Underwent rebuild and was shortened by 2 ft
- 1888, Apr 18: Rig updated to three masts
- 1891, Apr 4: Remeasured to reflect final dimensions and tonnages
- 1904, May: Owned by Henry Larson, Chicago
- 1905, Oct 19: Struck ground in Horseshoe Bay in a fall storm and grounded
Significant Incidents
- Grounded during a storm on October 19, 1905, in Horseshoe Bay.
Final Disposition
After grounding, the hull was stripped and broken up on the beach; the vessel was salvaged for wood and equipment but not refloated. By 1908, she had been fully dismantled.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The remains were dismantled onshore and no longer exist; no underwater hull has been documented. The site holds only historical land records rather than a physical wreck.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”iver-lawson-us-12436″ title=”References & Links”]
The Iver Lawson served over three decades of freight trade on Lake Michigan, undergoing multiple rebuilds to remain commercially viable. Her final grounding in October 1905 concluded a long career. Dismantled in situ, she left no marine remains, but her story contributes to our understanding of industrial-era schooners and their adaptability to changing trade conditions.
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: Iver Lawson
- Official Number: 12436
- Year Built: 1869
- Built At: Chicago, Illinois by Miller shipyard
- Vessel Type: Wooden‑hulled schooner, single‑deck, three‑masted
- Dimensions: 116 ft × 25.5 ft × 8.3 ft (35.4 × 7.8 × 2.5 m); 149 GRT / 141 NRT
- Loss Date: 19 October 1905
- Location: Ashore in Horseshoe Bay, Green Bay, Wisconsin, Lake Michigan
- Loss Type: Driven ashore during storm; later dismantled
- Casualties: None reported
Vessel Type & Description
A sizable three‑masted schooner tailored for Great Lakes freight trade, especially bulk cargo like lumber or grain. After construction, she underwent modifications—including shortening, rebuilding, and rig alternations—to adapt to evolving freight demands and sail-handling needs.
History
- 1869, May 4: Enrolled at Chicago; sustained collision damage soon after
- 1871–1888: Changed ownership (Lawson et al to Johnson)
- 1882: Underwent rebuild and was shortened by 2 ft
- 1888, Apr 18: Rig updated to three masts
- 1891, Apr 4: Remeasured to reflect final dimensions and tonnages
- 1904, May: Owned by Henry Larson, Chicago
- 1905, Oct 19: Struck ground in Horseshoe Bay in a fall storm and grounded
Final Disposition
After grounding, the hull was stripped and broken up on the beach; the vessel was salvaged for wood and equipment but not refloated. By 1908, she had been fully dismantled.
Located By & Discovery Status
The remains were dismantled onshore and no longer exist; no underwater hull has been documented. The site holds only historical land records rather than a physical wreck.
Notmar & Navigation Advisories
None recorded. Horseshoe Bay is a known natural harbor, but the grounding was due to severe storm action—an event still possible today, though modern forecasting reduces similar risks.
Resources & Links
- Board of Lake Underwriters Marine Directory
- Steamboat Era in the Muskokas by Richard Tatley
- C. Patrick Labadie Collection
- U.S. Merchant Vessel Enrollment Logs
Conclusion
The Iver Lawson served over three decades of freight trade on Lake Michigan, undergoing multiple rebuilds to remain commercially viable. Her final grounding in October 1905 concluded a long career. Dismantled in situ, she left no marine remains, but her story contributes to our understanding of industrial-era schooners and their adaptability to changing trade conditions.
Keywords & Glossary
- Keywords: Iver Lawson schooner, 1905 Green Bay grounding, Chicago-built schooner
- Categories: Wooden schooner losses, bulk cargo vessels, inland waterway grounding incidents
- Glossary:
- Three-masted schooner: Sailing ship with fore-and-aft sails on all three masts
- Remeasured: Surveyed to confirm dimensions and tonnage for registry accuracy
- Ashore: Driven onto land or beach, usually by storm or grounding