Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Levena
- Type: Scow-schooner
- Year Built: 1882
- Builder: Charlevoix, Michigan
- Dimensions: Length 42 ft (12.8 m); Beam 13 ft (4.0 m); Depth of hold 4.8 ft (1.46 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 12.60 tons
- Location: Lake Bluff, Illinois
- Coordinates: N 42° 33.317′ / W 087° 48.605′
- Official Number: 48566
- Original Owners: Capt. Banks (full name not recorded)
- Number of Masts: 2-masted
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Levena was a two-masted wooden scow-schooner, typical of the small vessels used for transporting gravel and construction materials along the nearshore routes of Lake Michigan.
Description
The Levena was built in 1882 and measured 42 feet in length, with a beam of 13 feet and a depth of hold of 4.8 feet. It was constructed of wood and powered by sail, primarily serving the Chicago–Kenosha–Lake Bluff trade.
History
The Levena was part of a fleet of small wooden vessels known as “gravel hookers” that operated with minimal crews, often consisting of just 2 to 3 men. These vessels were typically low-value crafts, frequently abandoned after incidents.
It was enrolled at Chicago for local commerce and surrendered its final enrollment on June 3, 1890, with the notation “Vessel Lost” at the Chicago Customs Office.
Significant Incidents
- Date of Loss: May 29, 1890
- Cause: Leakage in rough seas; grounded and broke apart near Lake Bluff
- Lives Lost: None
Final Disposition
The Levena broke up on the beach near Lake Bluff, Illinois, with wreckage scattered and abandoned due to its low value (~$400). No extant wreck site remains, as wooden remains are likely burned, salvaged, or buried in the shoreline.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The site is not considered a dive target due to shallow, shifting nearshore sand, and the wreckage has been destroyed.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”levena-us-48566″ title=”References & Links”]
The Levena serves as a representative example of the small “gravel-hookers” that supplied Chicago’s construction boom in the 19th century, highlighting the working-class maritime economy of Lake Michigan.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
Wooden Scow-Schooner (Built 1882, Lost 1890)
Identification & Construction
- Vessel Name: Levena
- Registry Number: 48566
- Vessel Type: Scow-schooner (two-masted)
- Built: 1882, Charlevoix, Michigan
- Hull Material: Wood
- Propulsion: Sail
- Rig: 2‑masted schooner
- Dimensions:
- Length: 42 ft (12.8 m)
- Beam: 13 ft (4.0 m)
- Depth of Hold: 4.8 ft (1.46 m)
- Gross Tonnage: 12.60 tons
- Cargo: 15 tons of gravel, bound for Chicago, Illinois
- Home Port: Chicago, Illinois
- Crew at Loss: 2 men (Capt. Banks and 1 unnamed crewman)
Service History
The Levena was a small wooden scow-schooner, typical of the “gravel hookers” that served the Chicago–Kenosha–Lake Bluff trade in the late 19th century. Vessels of this type:
- Hauled gravel, stone, and small construction cargoes along nearshore Lake Michigan routes.
- Operated with minimal crews, often 2–3 men.
- Were low‑value craft, frequently abandoned or allowed to break up after incidents.
Enrollment and Service Notes:
- Built in Charlevoix, MI (1882) for nearshore commercial use.
- Enrolled at Chicago for local commerce.
- Final Enrollment Surrendered: June 3, 1890 with the notation “Vessel Lost” (Chicago Customs Office).
Final Voyage & Loss
- Date of Loss: May 29, 1890 (per contemporary reports)
- Cause: Leakage in rough seas; grounded and broke apart near Lake Bluff
- Location:Lake Michigan off Kenosha County, Wisconsin
- Coordinates: N 42° 33.317′ / W 087° 48.605′
- Depth: Shoreline surf / eventual disintegration in shallow water
- Lives Lost: None
Newspaper Account (Chicago Tribune, June 4, 1890):
“The Levena had some fifteen tons of gravel aboard, bound for this port last Thursday night. When off Kenosha the little ‘gravel‑hooker’ sprung a leak in the sea then running. Banks and the man who comprised the rest of the crew tried to pump the water out as fast as it came in, but seeing the water gaining so rapidly that the boat was likely to founder at any time, she was headed for shore at Lake Bluff. It was an uncertain race whether the boat would reach the bottom of the lake or the shore first, but the shore won. The two men got through the surf to the beach and built a fire. When day broke the Levena was strewn along the beach. She was worth $400, but Banks told the Custom Officer that he was content to let the bark go, having saved his life.”
- Owner/Master: Capt. Banks (full name not recorded)
- Casualties: 0
Wreck Disposition
- Immediate Fate:
- Vessel broke up on the beach near Lake Bluff, Illinois.
- Wreckage scattered and abandoned, as the vessel’s value (~$400) was not worth salvage.
- Long-Term Fate:
- No extant wreck site—wooden remains likely burned, salvaged, or buried in the shoreline.
- The site is not considered a dive target due to shallow, shifting nearshore sand.
Historical Significance
The Levena is a representative example of the small “gravel‑hookers” that supplied Chicago’s construction boom in the 19th century. These vessels:
- Were economical, disposable craft, often uninsured or minimally valued.
- Represent the working-class maritime economy of Lake Michigan before the dominance of rail and steam bulk carriers.
- Often ended their careers on the beach, as in this case.
For maritime historians, the Levena highlights:
- The end of small scow-schooner trade on Lake Michigan by the 1890s.
- Minimal documentation of low-tonnage vessels and crews.
- Risky operations with tiny crews on open Lake Michigan waters.
Keywords & Categories
- Region: Lake Michigan – Kenosha County / Lake Bluff
- Vessel Type: Wooden scow-schooner, “gravel hooker”
- Cause of Loss: Leak in heavy seas; beached and broken up
- Cargo: Gravel (construction)
- Dive Difficulty: None – wreckage destroyed
- Historical Themes:
- Nearshore trade & construction material transport
- Disposable working schooners
- Minimal-crewed small craft losses