Kingfisher – Lake Erie Schooner Shipwreck (1905)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Kingfisher
• Type: Wooden three-masted schooner-barge
• Year Built: 1867
• Builder: I. Lafrinier, Cleveland, Ohio
• Dimensions: approx. 166 ft (50.6 m) × 32 ft (9.8 m) × 12.6 ft (3.8 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 517.32 tons
• Location: Foot of Case Avenue breakwater, Cleveland, Lake Erie
• Official Number: 14032
• Original Owners: J.H. & N.C. Winslow
• Number of Masts: Three

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

A lumber schooner-barge used primarily in the coastal trade, constructed to maximize cargo capacity while still being towable by steam tugs when full sailing rig was unnecessary.

Description

The Kingfisher was a wooden three-masted schooner-barge, designed for the transportation of lumber. It was built with a single deck and constructed from wood, emphasizing cargo capacity while maintaining towability.

History

• 1867: Launched and enrolled in Buffalo under J.H. & N.C. Winslow.
• 1869–1900: Involved in several collisions and groundings at Cleveland, St. Clair Flats, Escanaba, and Port Burwell; featured multiple repairs and tows by tugs (Samson, George King, Samuel Marshall).
• 1905: Laden with lumber, Kingfisher broke free amidst a fierce gale near Cleveland, grounding at Case Avenue and—unable to free herself—broke apart during the following storm on 18 October. One crewman drowned after boarding another schooner, Sarah E. Sheldon.

Significant Incidents

• Involved in multiple collisions and groundings throughout its service life.
• Final grounding occurred on 5 October 1905 during a violent storm.
• One crewman drowned after transferring to the Sarah E. Sheldon.

Final Disposition

The vessel was destroyed in place: deck and rigging battered by waves, hull abandoned. Cargo was removed, but the hull was left on the breakwater and eventually broke up.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Not applicable. This was a shore wreck; no survey or dive site exists.

Resources & Links

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The Kingfisher exemplified a workhorse of Great Lakes lumber transportation, surviving multiple mishaps across its 38-year service. Its final grounding at Cleveland’s Case Avenue after a violent storm in October 1905 cemented its end. While no underwater site remains, Kingfisher‘s story illustrates the perilous seasonal weather faced by wooden schooners in the early 20th century.