Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Laketon
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1868
- Builder: Likely in Muskegon, Michigan
- Dimensions: Not recorded
- Registered Tonnage: Not documented
- Location: Lake Michigan shoreline near Grand Haven, Michigan
- Coordinates: No GPS coordinates exist.
- Official Number: Not documented
- Original Owners: Not documented
- Number of Masts: Not documented
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A typical mid–19th-century cargo schooner designed for coastal freighting—often carrying lumber, coal, or general provisions to camp and harbor communities.
Description
On 8 November 1888, while carrying lumber camp supplies, Laketon encountered a strong late-autumn storm on Lake Michigan. The gale drove her ashore near Grand Haven, Michigan. A passing U.S. Lifesaving Service crew conducted a hazardous shore rescue and saved the entire crew. The vessel became stranded and was soon pounded beyond repair.
History
Declared a total loss. The hull disintegrated in surf, and salvaging was deemed impractical.
Significant Incidents
- The wreck was first noted post-storm by emergency responders and lifeboat crews.
- No modern archaeological investigation has occurred.
Final Disposition
The remains of her hull were swiftly lost to waves and sand.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No navigational markers are placed at the site. Grand Haven beaches may occasionally reveal timber debris after storms; the area remains subject to seasonal wave and sandbar changes.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”laketon-1868″ title=”References & Links”]
Laketon, built around 1868, lost her keel to storm-driven wrecking on 8 November 1888, while supplying lumber camps on Lake Michigan. Thanks to a U.S. Lifesaving Service rescue, all her crew survived, but the schooner herself was destroyed.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
Join Shotline to read more →