John Dunn US 75609

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: JOHN DUNN
• Type: Wooden Three-Masted Schooner
• Year Built: 1874
• Builder: A. Miller, Oswego, New York
• Dimensions: Length: 138 ft (42.1 m); Beam: 26 ft (7.9 m); Depth of hold: 11 ft (3.4 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 320 tons
• Location: Chicago Harbor, Illinois
• Official Number: 75609
• Original Owners: T. Dunn & M.J. Cummings, Oswego, New York
• Number of Masts: 3

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The JOHN DUNN was a three-masted wooden schooner, a typical vessel used in Great Lakes coal, lumber, and grain transport during the late 19th century. At 138 feet in length and 320 tons, the JOHN DUNN was a large schooner, built to handle bulk cargo shipments across the Great Lakes.

Key Features of Great Lakes Three-Masted Schooners:

• Designed for heavy cargo transport across the lakes
• Carried coal, lumber, grain, and general freight
• Rigging allowed for greater speed and efficiency than two-masted schooners
• Commonly used for long-haul routes between ports like Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Buffalo

Description

The JOHN DUNN was a relatively new vessel, built in 1874, but sank twice within a short span of time, indicating a turbulent career.

History

The JOHN DUNN was built in Oswego, New York, by A. Miller for coal and bulk cargo transport.

• 1874: Built in Oswego, New York, by A. Miller for coal and bulk cargo transport.
• 1874: Sank on Lake Erie, later recovered.
• 1875, September 9: Wrecked in Chicago Harbor during a storm while carrying coal from Cleveland.
• 1875, November 10: After extensive salvage attempts, the vessel was abandoned.

Significant Incidents

• The schooner was entering Chicago Harbor in gale conditions.
• It struck the harbor piers and wrecked near “the fort”.
• The crew of seven survived.
• The vessel was valued at $22,000, a significant amount for the time.

Final Disposition

The JOHN DUNN was lost on September 9, 1875, when it struck the harbor piers near the foot of 18th Street in Chicago during a violent storm.

After two months of salvage attempts, including partial raising of the hull, the effort was abandoned on November 10, 1875, when wreckers were called to assist the iron propeller MERCHANT at Racine, Wisconsin.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Nil return. There are no confirmed reports of the JOHN DUNN‘s wreck remains being discovered or documented.

Due to its wooden construction and the extensive salvage efforts, it is likely that little to nothing remains of the shipwreck.

Resources & Links

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The JOHN DUNN was a relatively new three-masted schooner that suffered multiple losses in its short career, ultimately wrecking at Chicago Harbor in 1875. Despite extensive salvage efforts, the vessel was ultimately abandoned. Its final remains are likely lost, making it another of Chicago’s many harbor shipwrecks.