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.

built 1880 – foundered 12 August 1911

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Keepsake (no prior names documented)
• Official registry number: C80573
• Year built: 1880
• Builder & Launch Site: W. Miller, River Puce, Ontario
• Vessel Type: Wooden scow‑schooner, used for general/light cargo on Lake Erie
• Dimensions: ~73 ft long × 20 ft beam × 4 ft depth; 45 gross tons (45 net) (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
• Last Voyage & Loss Date: 12 August 1911; Bound for Cedar Point from Pelee Island, foundered on Gull Island Reef in Lake Erie (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Vessel Type

• Scow‑schooner (flat‑bottomed, shallow‑draft) terrestrial design ideal for light freight in coastal trading lanes on Lake Erie.

Description

Built in 1880 by W. Miller in River Puce, Ontario, Keepsake was a modest wooden cargo vessel tailored to local inter-island commerce, with a small hull and shallow draft suited for Pelee Island–Cedar Point transit routes.

History

Operated out of Chicago or Belle River Ontario, carrying light freight among ports in Lake Erie. Her final documented ownership was under Henry Fleury of Belle River, Ont. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files). No earlier incidents or name changes found.

Final Voyage & Disposition

• In August 1911 Keepsake departed Pelee Island for Cedar Point.
• In foggy conditions near Gull Island Reef, she ran aground and then foundered. The hull capsized or sank offshore. Her outfit was removed beforehand, but salvage was impeded by storm onset.
• The crew was rescued by Marblehead Lifesavers; no lives were lost (MAST, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
• She was ultimately towed upside-down to Milwaukee and abandoned on a beach to break up naturally (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Located By & Site Condition

• There has been no known modern survey or archaeological rediscovery of the wreck site.
• The remains likely lie across Gull Island Reef or nearby shoals between Pelee Island and Kelleys Island, submerged in western Lake Erie.

Notices & Advisories

• No official Notices to Mariners from US or Canadian authorities are documented from this incident.
• The event is recorded in loss archives such as the Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Wikipedia).

Resources & Links

• Keepsake entry in Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – includes build, registry, dimensions, ownership, loss account, and rescue details (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
• MAST/Kelleys Island archaeological report references Keepsake grounding on Gull Island Shoal (August 1911) in scow‑schooner context (MAST).
• Lake Erie mapping tools and shipwreck indices reference the reef and site as a known hazard in local maritime records (alcheminc.com).

Summary Table

Element	Details
Vessel	Keepsake (scow‑schooner, 45 GRT)
Built	1880 in River Puce, Ontario
Registry No.	C80573
Dimensions	73 × 20 × 4 ft (~45 GRT)
Loss Date	12 August 1911
Voyage	Pelee Island → Cedar Point, Lake Erie
Location of Loss	Gull Island Reef (just offshore)
Cargo	Light freight
Crew	All survived; rescued by Marblehead Lifesavers
Cause of Loss	Grounded/foundered in fog/storm
Salvage Outcome	Equipment removed; hull abandoned to break-up

Noted Gaps & Further Research Suggestions

Although the core loss details are documented, the following archival gaps remain:

• Crew or master identity, passenger and crew lists (none found).
• Maritime registration records prior to 1911 (no enrollment logs located).
• Insurance or legal outcomes—no underwriter claims or inquiry reports found.
• Newspaper coverage from Ontario or Ohio around mid-August 1911, which might include eyewitness statements, captain’s account, or vessel tonnage details.

Recommended archival research includes:

• Local newspapers such as Pelee Island Gazette, Marblehead Journal (Aug 1911)
• HCGL accident rolls
• Port of Chicago and Port of Cleveland vessel registries for Keepsake
• Insurance filings for Ontario‑registered vessels from 1911

Conclusion & Significance

Keepsake was a modest wooden scow‑schooner built in 1880 and lost on 12 August 1911 after grounding on Gull Island Reef in Lake Erie. Her crew survived, aided by the Marblehead Lifesaving Service, but the vessel was abandoned after salvage proved unfeasible. While her size and cargo were minor, the incident illustrates navigational hazards in the western Lake Erie archipelago, especially under fog and sudden storms. The wreck remains undocumented archaeologically, representing an opportunity for historical maritime research or sonar survey in the reef area.

keepsake-c-80573 1911-08-12 12:55:00