Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Julia Willard
- Type: Wooden-hulled schooner (likely cargo/passenger)
- Year Built: 1865
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Kelley’s Island, Lake Erie
- Number of Masts: Two-mast sail rigged
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A mid-19th-century lake schooner, commonly used for stone freight and general cargo on Lake Erie. Wooden, rigged for two-mast sail, and likely modest in size given her cargo type.
Description
On 17 December 1895, while loading stone at Kelley’s Island, Julia Willard became encased in ice during a sudden cold snap. She was frozen fast and abandoned after the crew went ashore seeking a tug for assistance. She never returned to service and was officially declared lost the following year (linkstothepast.com, livcolib.org, linkstothepast.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com).
History
Despite the event’s severity, no primary newspaper reports or Life-Saving Service records have been located yet. The only confirmation comes from marine-loss compilations and maritime burials listings, citing her as ice immobilized and abandoned in late 1895.
Significant Incidents
- Frozen and beset in ice at Kelley’s Island while loading stone.
- No loss of life reported.
Final Disposition
Stranded and beset in ice, the vessel was unrecoverable. Documentation indicates “sunk near Middle Sister Island” in some sources—likely a misinterpretation. No salvage or recovery was successful.
Current Condition & Accessibility
There are no dive surveys, sonar data, or recorded wreck locations. Presumed lost beneath ice and submerged near Kelley’s Island.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”julia-willard-1865″ title=”References & Links”]
Julia Willard was lost in a typical cold-season Great Lakes scenario—trapped in ice during stone loading. Though not sensational, the incident reflects winter marine hazards. Without crew casualties and limited documentation, it remains an obscure yet instructive case in maritime ice safety.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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