Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Kate Lyons
- Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1867
- Builder: W. Jones, Black River, Ohio
- Dimensions: 122 ft (37 m) length × 26 ft (7.9 m) beam × 8 ft (2.4 m) depth
- Registered Tonnage: 201 grt / 191 nrt
- Location: Near Holland, Michigan coast
- Official Number: 14063
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden two-masted lumber schooner.
Description
The Kate Lyons was a typical late-19th century schooner, primarily used for lumber transport. Built in 1867, it measured approximately 122 feet in length, 26 feet in beam, and 8 feet in depth, with a registered tonnage of 201 gross and 191 net tons.
History
The vessel was constructed by W. Jones in Black River, Ohio, and was still in service in 1905 after undergoing partial rebuilds. It represents the tail-end era of sail-powered wooden commercial schooners on Lake Michigan.
Significant Incidents
- On October 20, 1905, during a storm, the Kate Lyons attempted to enter the harbor at dusk but missed the breakwater and grounded on a sandbar. The vessel was quickly overtaken by waves and subsequently broke apart. All four crew members survived.
Final Disposition
The wreck of the Kate Lyons is believed to be located near a shallow sandbar at the entrance to Holland harbor. The site is likely characterized by scattered timbers and framing due to wave action, with no known detailed survey or dive reports available.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck is likely undone by wave action, with debris scattered in shallow water. There are no detailed surveys or dive reports recorded in archival records.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”kate-lyons-us-14063″ title=”References & Links”]
The Kate Lyons is a recorded but under-documented wreck with no crew loss, making it ideal for heritage dives or archaeological surveys. It offers tangible insights into the construction, navigation, and demise of typical mid-19th-century lumber schooners. Recommended actions include archival searches, hydrographic surveys, diver documentation, and partnerships with Michigan maritime heritage resources to develop a comprehensive site profile and safe dive plan.
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.
Wreck: Kate Lyons (Official No. 14063)
- Type & Build: Two-masted wooden schooner, typical lumber carrier; built 1867 by W. Jones, Black River, Ohio. Dimensions approx. 37 m (122 ft) length × 7.9 m (26 ft) beam × 2.4 m (8 ft) depth; 201 grt / 191 nrt (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
- Final voyage & Loss: On October 20, 1905, during a storm off Holland, Michigan, the Kate Lyons “stranded on a bar after missing the piers, then broken up by waves.” Crew of four all survived (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
- Cargo: Lumber (inferred from type, exact cargo unknown) (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
- Casualties: None of the four aboard were lost.
- –Circumstances: Were attempting harbor entry at dusk in heavy gale; missed the breakwater/piers, grounded on a sandbar, foundering quickly as seas overtook her. Wreck was battered and subsequently broke apart.
Site & Archaeological Notes
- Location: Near Holland, Michigan coast—probable shallow sandbar at entrance to harbor.
- Site Condition: Likely wreck undone by wave action; scattered timbers and framing in shallow water. No known detailed survey or dive reports in archival records.
- Recorded in Historic Databases: Entry appears in Great Lakes Shipwreck Files with sources “nsp, eas, gs, slh, ns1, h, lmdc, mv, mpl” (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, wisconsinshipwrecks.org).
Research Gaps & Recommended Next Steps
| Area | Action |
|---|---|
| Archival Surveys / Nautical Charts | Investigate U.S. Lifesaving Service and lighthouse keeper logs (Holland, 1905), local newspapers (e.g., Holland Sentinel archives) for storm chronology and wreck reports. |
| Underwater Documentation | Conduct side-scan sonar or magnetometer survey near Holland harbor entrance; follow-up with diver reconnaissance to map debris field and record structural remains. |
| Permits & Local Liaison | Check Michigan’s Antiquities Act and DEQ for nearshore wreck study permits. Partner with local dive clubs or Holland museum for historical support. |
| Environmental / Safety Data | Assess bar depth, seasonal turbidity, currents; consult NOAA and Coast Guard buoy/weather data to plan low-tide window surveys. |
| Lifesaving / Crew Records | Search U.S. Lifesaving Service rollbooks for a 1905 rescue near Holland; check crew certificates; survivors’ testimonies may exist in service case files |
Identification & Site
- Name: Kate Lyons
- Official Number: 14063
- Loss: Oct 20, 1905; no fatalities
Vessel
- Wooden two‑masted lumber schooner
- 37 × 7.9 × 2.4 m, 201 grt
Context
- A typical late‑19th c schooner, still in service in 1905 after partial rebuilds.
- A storm entry attempt resulted in grounding; swift destruction by surf, but crew survived.
- Represented the tail‑end era of sail‑powered wood commercial schooners on Lake Michigan.
Significance
- Illustrates navigational transition hazards before modern lights and breakwaters.
- As an intact nearshore wreck, could inform on construction standards of mid‑19th c Great Lakes shipbuilding—particularly lumber schooners.
- Valuable for local maritime heritage interpretation and public dive activity.
Conclusion
The Kate Lyons is a recorded but under-documented wreck with no crew loss—ideal for a heritage dive or archaeological survey. It offers tangible insight into the construction, navigation, and demise of typical mid‑19th‑century lumber schooners. However, existing data is limited to registry entries and loss summary. Recommended actions include archival searches (local papers, lifesaving reports), hydrographic survey, diver documentation, and partnership with Michigan maritime heritage resources to fully develop an academically rigorous site profile and safe dive plan.
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