Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Lena M. Nielson
- Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1896
- Builder: Ludington, Michigan
- Dimensions: Length: 78.6 ft (23.96 m); Beam: 24.9 ft (7.59 m); Depth of hold: 6.6 ft (2.01 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 85 gt, 74 nt
- Location: Near Lakeside, north of New Buffalo, MI
- Official Number: 141426
- Original Owners: Evan Nielson of Ludington, MI
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A typical small wood schooner of the period, built for hauling bulk cargo (primarily lumber) on the Great Lakes. Likely rigged with gaff sails and suited for moderate coastal trade routes.
Description
Wooden hull, single deck, fore-and-aft rig for functioning in varied wind conditions of Lake Michigan. Built to handle typical lumber cargoes; frame likely oak or pine, deck reinforced for heavy loads.
History
- 1896: Entered service in the lumber trade, operating from Ludington.
- 1898, 10 Nov: While en route from Manistee to Benton Harbor with a lumber cargo, the Lena M. Nielson was caught in a severe storm. Attempting to navigate around the wreck of the City of Duluth near the mouth of St. Joseph harbour, she foundered. Driven back onto Lake Michigan, the schooner drifted approximately 25 miles before being thrown ashore near Lakeside, north of New Buffalo, Michigan. The crew was rescued by the St. Joseph Life-Saving Service, with no fatalities.
Significant Incidents
- 10 November 1898: Foundered during a storm while navigating near the wreck of the City of Duluth.
Final Disposition
- Date: 10 November 1898
- Location: Near Lakeside, north of New Buffalo, MI, Lake Michigan
- Fate: Driven ashore and wrecked during a storm; vessel declared a total loss.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No underwater wreck has been recorded—the vessel was stranded on shore and likely broken up at the site. No dive site or submerged remains are known.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”lena-m-nielson-us-141426″ title=”References & Links”]
Though small and short-lived (just two years in operation), the Lena M. Nielson played a role in Michigan’s late-19th-century lumber trade. Her loss during a November storm underscores the hazards faced by coastal schooners when navigating around wreck-prone harbour entries. With her crew rescued and no diveable wreckage remaining, she remains a historical footnote—known primarily through Life-Saving Service actions and registry records.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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