Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Kate Richmond
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1855
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Lake Huron (precise site not documented)
- Original Owners: Not conclusively documented
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Kate Richmond was a wooden two-masted schooner, built for the Great Lakes lumber, grain, and general cargo trades of the mid-19th century.
Description
She was constructed with oak framing and pine planking, with a single deck, moderate depth of hold, and fore-and-aft sails. The schooner’s shallow draft allowed her to operate in smaller harbours around Lake Huron.
History
Launched in 1855, the Kate Richmond operated for thirty years in the busy shipping corridors of Lake Huron. On 5 December 1885, while battling a late-season storm, she was driven ashore. Pounded by the surf and grounded hard, she was abandoned by her crew, who escaped safely in the vessel’s yawl (ship’s boat).
Subsequent efforts were made to salvage or refloat the schooner, but contemporary reports suggest these were unsuccessful, and the vessel was considered a total loss.
Significant Incidents
- Grounded during a storm on 5 December 1885.
- All crew survived by escaping in the yawl.
- Considered a total loss after unsuccessful salvage attempts.
Final Disposition
Declared a total constructive loss after the stranding; no confirmed record of successful salvage or return to service.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern diver or archaeological documentation of the wreck has been reported.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”kate-richmond-1855″ title=”References & Links”]
The Kate Richmond‘s grounding during a December storm is typical of the seasonal risks faced by Great Lakes schooners, especially late in the shipping year. While her crew survived by taking to the yawl, the ship was lost, reflecting how these wooden vessels could be destroyed even close to shore.
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
- Vessel Name: Kate Richmond
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year built and launched: 1855
- Owner: Not conclusively documented
- Cargo: Unknown at time of loss
- Date lost: 5 December 1885
- Location: Lake Huron (precise site not documented)
- Crew: All survived, escaped in the yawl
Vessel Type
The Kate Richmond was a wooden two-masted schooner, built for the Great Lakes lumber, grain, and general cargo trades of the mid-19th century.
Description
She was constructed with oak framing and pine planking, with a single deck, moderate depth of hold, and fore-and-aft sails. The schooner’s shallow draft allowed her to operate in smaller harbours around Lake Huron.
History
Launched in 1855, the Kate Richmond operated for thirty years in the busy shipping corridors of Lake Huron. On 5 December 1885, while battling a late-season storm, she was driven ashore. Pounded by the surf and grounded hard, she was abandoned by her crew, who escaped safely in the vessel’s yawl (ship’s boat).
Subsequent efforts were made to salvage or refloat the schooner, but contemporary reports suggest these were unsuccessful, and the vessel was considered a total loss.
Final Dispositions
Declared a total constructive loss after the stranding; no confirmed record of successful salvage or return to service.
Located By & Date Found
No modern diver or archaeological documentation of the wreck has been reported.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Great Lakes Vessels Index (BGSU)
Conclusion
The Kate Richmond‘s grounding during a December storm is typical of the seasonal risks faced by Great Lakes schooners, especially late in the shipping year. While her crew survived by taking to the yawl, the ship was lost, reflecting how these wooden vessels could be destroyed even close to shore.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Wooden schooner
- Lake Huron
- Shipwreck
- Grounding
- Great Lakes storms
- Yawl escape
- 19th-century shipping
- Maritime history
If you’d like, I can help check local Huron county newspaper archives for salvage attempts or survivor stories — just let me know!
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