Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Luther Wright
- Type: Three-Masted Wooden Schooner
- Year Built: Before 1848
- Builder: Huron, Ohio
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: 195 (tonnage Old Style)
- Location: Gravelly Bay, Lake Erie (modern-day Port Colborne, Ontario)
- Official Number: None (Pre-registration era)
- Original Owners: Capt. Bain & Bros., Buffalo, New York
- Number of Masts: Three
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Luther Wright was a three-masted schooner, one of the earliest such vessels built for Great Lakes commerce. At the time, most schooners had two masts, but as the shipping industry evolved, three-masted schooners became the norm for larger cargo capacities.
Description
The Luther Wright primarily hauled grain, lumber, and general cargo between major ports, including Toledo, Buffalo, and Kingston.
History
The Luther Wright was reportedly only the second three-masted schooner ever built on the Great Lakes, following the Owanungah (1835), which was later converted to a brig in 1842.
Significant Incidents
- Loss of Life: None
- Cause: Storm – Driven ashore and destroyed
Final Disposition
The vessel was declared a total loss, as Lake Erie storms left little salvageable material. Given that the ship was one of the earliest three-masted schooners on the lakes, her loss marked a moment in early Great Lakes commercial history.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wooden hull was likely destroyed by wave action soon after wrecking. Some iron fastenings, anchor chains, or cargo remnants could still be buried offshore in the lakebed. No official diving or sonar documentation of the wreck has been reported.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”luther-wright-pre-1848″ title=”References & Links”]
The Luther Wright was a pioneering three-masted schooner, marking an important transition in Great Lakes commercial ship design. Her loss was one of many tragic shipwrecks caused by Lake Erie’s infamous November storms, and her remains may still exist offshore.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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