Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: La Grange
- Type: Wooden two-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1826
- Builder: Mount Clemens, Michigan
- Dimensions: 74 × 20 × 8 ft; ~101 tons
- Registered Tonnage: 101 tons
- Location: Point Pelee, Lake Erie
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A small, early-Great-Lakes schooner built for general freight—including heavy iron and spirits. Its modest size suited coastal commerce but made it vulnerable to early-winter ice and late-season storms.
Description
Built in 1826, La Grange traded between Cleveland and Detroit. On 17 November 1835, after winters set in, she was forced from port by ice, then caught by a storm off Point Pelee. She grounded during a gale and was wrecked. The ship was declared a total loss after it was determined recovery was unfeasible. Some reports suggest her wreckage might have been struck later by the steamer J.C. Lockwood—likely debris or structural remains.
History
La Grange was built in 1826 and primarily operated between Cleveland and Detroit. On her final voyage, she was forced out of port due to ice and subsequently caught in a storm, leading to her grounding and wrecking off Point Pelee. The ship was declared a total loss, and recovery efforts were deemed unfeasible.
Significant Incidents
- Grounded off Point Pelee during a storm on 17 November 1835.
- Two or more crew members presumed lost in the incident.
Final Disposition
Stranded ashore and broken apart by storm waves; officially a total wreck. No salvage records are present, suggesting minimal or no recovery.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Nil return. No modern surveys or dives have identified remains. Wreck debris may still be buried under sediments near Pelee’s shoreline.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”la-grange” title=”References & Links”]
La Grange, launched in 1826, was lost on 17 November 1835 after being driven ashore by ice and a storm near Point Pelee. Carrying high-value cargo of wine, brandy, and Swedish iron, she wrecked in late-season conditions that claimed her crew and vessel. Though her remains are unlocated, she stands as a testament to the perils of early Great Lakes navigation and trade.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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