Liberty – Lake Superior Steamer Shipwreck (1919)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Liberty
• Type: Sidewheel Steamer
• Year Built: 1889
• Builder: Fort Howard, Wisconsin
• Dimensions: Length 96.8 ft (29.5 m); Beam 18 ft (5.5 m); Depth of hold 5 ft (1.5 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 1889 (as built): 95.53 gross / 69.98 net tons; Post-1918 configuration: 149.86 gross / 92 net tons
• Location: Grand Marais, Minnesota
• Coordinates: 47° 44′ 45″ N, 90° 20′ 15″ W
• Original Owners: Various, including W.A. Freeman and Scandia Fish Co.

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Sidewheel steamer originally configured for passenger and cargo transport, later converted to a propeller-driven vessel for varied commercial use including fish, oyster, and small freight trades.

Description

• Hull Material: Wood
• Decks: 1
• Length: 29.5 m (96.8 ft)
• Beam: 5.5 m (18 ft)
• Depth: 1.5 m (5 ft)
• Tonnage:
  • 1889 (as built): 95.53 gross / 69.98 net tons
  • Post-1891 rebuild: 85.5 gross / 53.19 net tons
  • Post-1894 rebuild: 143.55 gross / 126.16 net tons
  • Post-1917 rebuild: 168.12 gross / 100.56 net tons
  • 1918 configuration: 149.86 gross / 92 net tons

History

• 1889: Launched April 24; enrolled June 26 at Milwaukee. Burned in Green Bay September 16 but was rebuilt.
• 1891: Converted to propeller in Milwaukee and re-engined. Ownership transferred to W.A. Freeman.
• 1894–1898: Underwent extensive rebuilds in Manitowoc and Milwaukee; joined fish trade operations.
• 1899–1903: Owned by A. Booth Packing Co. and later multiple Chicago and Michigan-based owners; engaged in various regional trades but spent periods inactive due to low business.
• 1903–1909: Ownership changed several times; ran routes including Sylvan Beach–Grand Haven.
• 1911–1917: Further ownership changes; caught in ice near Two Harbors in 1917.
• 1917–1918: Rebuilt at Duluth twice, significantly increasing gross tonnage.
• 1919: Operated as a passenger vessel under Scandia Fish Co.; burned to total loss at Grand Marais, MN on July 6. Final documents surrendered at Duluth on September 23.

Significant Incidents

• Burned in Green Bay on September 16, 1889, but was rebuilt.
• Burned to total loss in Grand Marais harbour on July 6, 1919; no fatalities reported.

Final Disposition

Liberty burned in Grand Marais harbour on 6 July 1919 and was a total loss. No fatalities reported.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No formal underwater site identification has been published.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”liberty-us-141011″ title=”References & Links”]

The Liberty (1889) is a notable example of a late 19th-century wooden steamer that adapted repeatedly to the evolving commercial needs of the Great Lakes. Over a thirty-year career, she served in fish packing, freight, and passenger roles under a variety of owners. Her repeated rebuilds reflect the era’s economic pressures and technical flexibility, and her fiery end in 1919 marked the close of an era for smaller wooden sidewheelers on Lake Superior.