Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Jenny Lind (1848)

Explore the wreck of the Jenny Lind, a mid-19th-century schooner lost in a gale on Lake Huron, with a rich history in the timber trade.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Jenny Lind
  • Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
  • Year Built: 1848
  • Builder: unspecified Great Lakes shipyard
  • Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
  • Registered Tonnage:
  • Location: Lake Huron
  • Coordinates: exact coordinates unknown
  • Number of Masts: Two

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Two-masted wooden schooner, used primarily for bulk freight, notably lumber and lath.

Description

The Jenny Lind was a merchant schooner typical of the mid-19th-century timber trade. Built in 1848, her full size and tonnage are not documented in searchable records. She was notable for running lumber cargo inbound to Toledo and capsized rapidly in a sudden spring gale.

History

On May 21, 1883, while approximately 20 miles above Port Huron, the Jenny Lind encountered a sudden gale and capsized with her cargo. No loss of life was recorded in this incident. The vessel was recovered ten days later by the tug Protection, stripped, and then scuttled in Chicago harbor. In November 1883, she was later flagged as wrecked on Lake Huron, with the cause likely being a seasonal storm that shifted the remaining timber debris.

Significant Incidents

  • May 21, 1883: Capsized and sank in a gale while inbound from Muskegon, carrying lumber and lath.
  • No loss of life recorded in this incident.
  • Recovered ten days later by tug Protection, stripped, then scuttled in Chicago harbor.
  • Later flagged in November 1883 as wrecked on Lake Huron; cause likely seasonal storm shifting remaining timber debris.

Final Disposition

The final resting place of the Jenny Lind is at the bottom of Lake Huron, with exact coordinates unknown. The debris drifted toward Chicago before sinking. No recorded dives or mapping expeditions have found the remains, which are presumably scattered or deeply buried.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No official Notice to Mariners references exist for the Jenny Lind. Scrapping and scuttling procedures suggest local harbor authorities mitigated navigational hazards without issuing formal advisories.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”jenny-lind-1848″ title=”References & Links”]

The Jenny Lind represents a typical mid-19th-century lumber schooner lost during a sudden gale on Lake Huron. Capsizing with her cargo, the crew survived, and the vessel was recovered and scuttled. The later notation of wreckage in November 1883 suggests drifting debris or record-keeping lag. Lack of dives or known surveys indicates the physical site is unlocated and potentially irretrievable.

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: Jenny Lind
  • Built: 1848, unspecified Great Lakes shipyard
  • Vessel Type: Two‑masted wooden schooner, used for bulk freight (notably lumber & lath)
  • Final Voyage & Loss: May 21, 1883 – capsized and sank in a gale while inbound from Muskegon (Lake Huron), carrying lumber & lath
  • Reported Wreck Date: Around November 20, 1883, on Lake Huron – per Great Lakes Register entries (linkstothepast.com)

Historical Context

  • Merchant schooner typical of mid-19th‑century timber trade.
  • Built in 1848; full size and tonnage not documented in searchable records.
  • Notable for running lumber cargo inbound to Toledo; she capsized rapidly in a sudden spring gale (linkstothepast.com, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Final Voyage & Shipwreck

  • On May 21, 1883, while approximately 20 miles above Port Huron, she encountered a sudden gale and capsized with her cargo.
  • No loss of life recorded in this incident (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
  • Recovered ten days later by tug Protection, stripped, then scuttled in Chicago harbor (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
  • Later flagged in November 1883 as wrecked on Lake Huron; cause likely seasonal storm shifting remaining timber debris (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Wreck Location & Remains

  • Final resting place: bottom of Lake Huron, exact coordinates unknown; debris drifted toward Chicago before sinking.
  • No recorded dives or mapping expeditions have found the remains—presumably scattered or deeply buried.

Notmars & Advisories

  • No official Notice to Mariners references.
  • Scrapping and scuttling procedures suggest local harbor authorities mitigated navigational hazards without issuing formal advisories.

Archival Sources & Documentation

Gaps & Further Research

CategoryProposed Actions
Construction details (tonnage, dimensions)Examine enrollment records at USACE or BGSU vessel archives.
Cargo logs and ownershipCheck Great Lakes shipping manifests, company records from Muskegon.
Crew identitiesSearch local newspapers (e.g., Port Huron, Muskegon) for crew names.
Debris drift and scuttling authorityReview Chicago harbor master or marine insurance claims.
Physical wreck remainsEngage sonar surveys in presumed scuttled area south of Chicago harbor.

Conclusion

The Jenny Lind represents a typical mid-19th-century lumber schooner lost during a sudden gale on Lake Huron. Capsizing with her cargo, the crew survived, and the vessel was recovered and scuttled. The later notation of wreckage in November 1883 suggests drifting debris or record-keeping lag. Lack of dives or known surveys indicates the physical site is unlocated and potentially irretrievable.

jenny-lind-1848 1883-05-21 23:37:00