Lark (1855)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Lark
• Type: Wooden schooner
• Year Built: 1855
• Builder: Lafrinier & Stevenson, Cleveland, OH
• Dimensions: 138 ft (42 m) length × 26 ft beam × 11 ft depth of hold
• Registered Tonnage: 388 gross tons
• Location: Near mouth of Carp River, near Leland, Michigan
• Official Number: Not recorded
• Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Lark was a mid-19th century wooden schooner, rigged with two masts and likely used for bulk freight transport on Lake Michigan routes. With a substantial tonnage of nearly 400 tons, she would have carried general cargo or bulk goods between ports. Built in Cleveland by Lafrinier & Stevenson in 1855, she was large for schooner design and tailored to inland sea transport where sail power still dominated.

Description

The Lark was a wooden two-masted schooner designed for bulk freight. At the time of her loss, she measured approximately 138 feet in length, 26 feet in beam, and had a depth of hold of about 11 feet. The vessel was built in 1855 and had a registered tonnage of 388 gross tons.

History

• 1855: Launched in Cleveland; served regional trade across Michigan and adjoining waterways.
• 1872 (Nov 10): Encountered a major storm near Carp River while navigating Lake Michigan. The vessel was driven ashore near Leland and rapidly disintegrated under wave action. The forecasted storm overwhelmed her, leading to total loss. The wreck reportedly remained visible from shore for some time afterward.

Significant Incidents

• November 10, 1872: Caught in a severe storm, the Lark became stranded and broke apart near the mouth of Carp River.

Final Disposition

After becoming stranded on the shoals outside Carp River, Lark was battered by surf and quickly broke apart. She was declared a total loss. While the crew fate is not documented, no fatalities were mentioned in period records or aggregated wreck lists, making it likely that all aboard survived.

Current Condition & Accessibility

• Current Status: No known dive efforts or archaeological survey have documented the site.
• Remnants: The wreck likely disintegrated completely, with any remains buried by lakebed sediment or scavenged over time. Given shallow, nearshore location, some structural remnants may persist beneath sand or rubble.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”lark-1855″ title=”References & Links”]

The Lark exemplifies the risk faced by large wooden schooners on Lake Michigan in late-autumn gales. At nearly 400 gross tons, she was among the larger schooners of her era yet succumbed quickly to storm-driven shorewreck. While her exact final resting site remains unlocated by modern underwater archaeologists, historical records offer enough data to identify her and her circumstances.