Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Lizzie A. Law
- Type: Wooden, three-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1875
- Builder: Ed Fitzgerald, Port Huron, Michigan
- Dimensions: 196.1 ft (59.8 m) × 33.9 ft (10.3 m) × 13.9 ft (4.2 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 747.48 gross; 710.13 net
- Depth at Wreck Site: 3 m / 10 ft
- Location: Traverse Island, east side Keweenaw Peninsula, Lake Superior
- Coordinates: N 47° 05.344′, W 088° 18.931′
- Official Number: 140133
- Original Owners: Originally Robert Law, Chicago; later J.J. Warde (1892); C.A. Hurd (1899); Hines Lumber Co. (1903)
- Number of Masts: 3
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Lizzie A. Law was a wooden, three-masted schooner, a type of sailing vessel commonly used for transporting bulk goods across the Great Lakes.
Description
The Lizzie A. Law was a three-masted wooden schooner built in Port Huron, Michigan, in 1875 by Ed Fitzgerald. At nearly 200 feet long and nearly 750 gross tons, she was among the larger schooners operating on the Great Lakes in the late 19th century, primarily employed in the bulk trades of wheat, coal, and lumber.
History
The schooner had a long and checkered career across the Great Lakes. She was originally owned by Robert Law and the Lackawanna Coal Company of Chicago, then passed to multiple subsequent owners through her 33-year career. Her service record includes repeated groundings, collisions, and at least one sinking and salvage.
Selected Chronology:
- 1875 (Jul 26) – Enrolled at Port Huron, MI.
- 1876–1886 – A series of strandings and collisions on Lakes Erie, Huron, and Michigan.
- 1882 – Rebuilt at Miller Brothers dry dock, Chicago.
- 1893 (Jul 21) – Collided with schooner David Vance in Pelee Passage, Lake Erie; both vessels sank in ~42 ft. The Lizzie A. Law was later raised and repaired at Amherstburg and Detroit.
- 1899 – Owned by C.A. Hurd et al., Buffalo, NY.
- 1903 – Owned by Hines Lumber Co., Chicago.
- 1908 (Oct 19) – Under tow of steamer Edward Hines, bound for Duluth with coal, when she lost the tow in heavy seas and drove ashore at Traverse Island, Keweenaw Peninsula. Declared a total loss.
Significant Incidents
- Repeated groundings and collisions throughout her service history.
- Notable collision with David Vance in 1893, resulting in sinking and subsequent salvage.
- Final wreck on October 19, 1908, after losing tow and being driven ashore.
Final Disposition
Wrecked at Traverse Island, east side of Keweenaw Peninsula, Lake Superior, on October 19, 1908. Declared a total loss; no casualties reported. Some remains persist in shallow water at ~10 ft depth.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck lies in ~10 ft of water off Traverse Island, east Keweenaw Peninsula. Shallow and scattered remains reported. No published photogrammetry or NOAA/EGLE survey available.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”lizzie-a-law-us-140133″ title=”References & Links”]
The Lizzie A. Law serves as a reminder of the maritime history of the Great Lakes, with her remains accessible for divers interested in exploring early 20th-century shipwrecks.
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.
Identification Card (Site Style)
Other Names: None recorded
Official Number: 140133
Registry: United States
Vessel Type: Wooden, three-masted schooner
Builder: Ed Fitzgerald, Port Huron, Michigan
Year Built: 1875
Dimensions: 196.1 ft (59.8 m) × 33.9 ft (10.3 m) × 13.9 ft (4.2 m)
Tonnage: 747.48 gross; 710.13 net
Number of Decks: 1
Number of Masts: 3
Hull Material: Wood
Cargo on Final Voyage: Coal
Date of Loss: 19 October 1908
Cause of Loss: Lost tow, drove ashore, wrecked
Final Location: Traverse Island, east side Keweenaw Peninsula, Lake Superior
Coordinates: N 47° 05.344′, W 088° 18.931′ (Google Maps link)
Depth: ~10 ft (3 m)
Home Port: Chicago, Illinois
Owners: Originally Robert Law, Chicago; later J.J. Warde (1892); C.A. Hurd (1899); Hines Lumber Co. (1903)
Crew: Survived final wreck
Casualties: None reported
—
Description
The Lizzie A. Law was a three-masted wooden schooner built in Port Huron, Michigan, in 1875 by Ed Fitzgerald. At nearly 200 feet long and nearly 750 gross tons, she was among the larger schooners operating on the Great Lakes in the late 19th century, primarily employed in the bulk trades of wheat, coal, and lumber.
History
The schooner had a long and checkered career across the Great Lakes. She was originally owned by Robert Law and the Lackawanna Coal Company of Chicago, then passed to multiple subsequent owners through her 33-year career. Her service record includes repeated groundings, collisions, and at least one sinking and salvage.
Selected Chronology:
- 1875 (Jul 26) – Enrolled at Port Huron, MI.
- 1876–1886 – A series of strandings and collisions on Lakes Erie, Huron, and Michigan.
- 1882 – Rebuilt at Miller Brothers dry dock, Chicago.
- 1893 (Jul 21) – Collided with schooner David Vance in Pelee Passage, Lake Erie; both vessels sank in ~42 ft. The Lizzie A. Law was later raised and repaired at Amherstburg and Detroit.
- 1899 – Owned by C.A. Hurd et al., Buffalo, NY.
- 1903 – Owned by Hines Lumber Co., Chicago.
- 1908 (Oct 19) – Under tow of steamer Edward Hines, bound for Duluth with coal, when she lost the tow in heavy seas and drove ashore at Traverse Island, Keweenaw Peninsula. Declared a total loss.
Final Disposition
Wrecked at Traverse Island, east side of Keweenaw Peninsula, Lake Superior, on October 19, 1908. Declared a total loss; no casualties reported. Some remains persist in shallow water at ~10 ft depth.
Located By & Date Found
Known since the time of wreck in 1908. Coordinates logged as 47°05.344′N, 88°18.931′W.
Notmars & Advisories
No current Notices to Mariners specific to this wreck. Wreckage lies in shallow nearshore waters and may present hazards to small craft.
Dive Information
Access: Boat required from Keweenaw Peninsula harbors
Entry Point: Eagle Harbor, Copper Harbor, or Bete Grise
Conditions: Shallow wreck, exposed to surge and storms; low visibility at times
Depth Range: ~10 ft (3 m)
Emergency Contacts: USCG Station Portage / Sector Sault Ste. Marie
Permits: Required for artifact removal under Michigan Antiquities law
Dive Support: Limited local dive charters at Copper Harbor
Crew & Casualty Memorials
No lives lost in either the 1893 collision or the 1908 final wreck. No known memorials associated with the vessel.
Documented Statements & Extracts
“The schooner Lizzie A. Law, bound for Duluth with coal, broke free of her tow and was driven ashore at Traverse Island. The crew escaped, but the vessel was lost.” — Contemporary press reports, October 1908.
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
Official Number 140133. Enrolled at Port Huron (1875). Multiple ownership transfers between Chicago and Buffalo interests. Insured for $5,000 (Orient Insurance Co.) at the time of her 1893 Lake Erie sinking; insurance payout confirmed. Later ownership by Hines Lumber Co. at time of 1908 loss.
Site Documentation & Imaging
The wreck lies in ~10 ft of water off Traverse Island, east Keweenaw Peninsula. Shallow and scattered remains reported. No published photogrammetry or NOAA/EGLE survey available.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Vessels Database (BGSU/HCGL)
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Chronicling America – Historic Newspapers
References
- U.S. Enrollment Records, Official No. 140133.
- Maritime casualty reports, July 1893 (Lake Erie collision).
- Great Lakes wreck files, October 1908 (Traverse Island wreck).
- Swayze, David. *Shipwreck! A Comprehensive Directory of Great Lakes Losses, 1679–1990.*
NOAA/WHS Shipwreck Record Card
Other Names: None
Official Number: 140133
Coordinates: N 47° 05.344′, W 088° 18.931′ (Google Maps link)
Depth: ~10 ft (3 m)
Location Description: Traverse Island, east side Keweenaw Peninsula, Lake Superior
Vessel Type: Three-masted schooner
Material: Wood
Dimensions: 196.1 × 33.9 × 13.9 ft; 747.48 gross tons
Condition: Wrecked, shallow remains
Cause of Loss: Lost tow, drove ashore, 19 October 1908
Discovery Date: Known since 1908
Discovered By: N/A
Method: Grounding
Legal Notes: Protected under Michigan Antiquities Act
Hazards: Shallow debris near shore
Permits Required: Yes, for survey or artifact removal