Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Mackinac
- Type: Wooden schooner or bulk freighter
- Year Built: 1882
- Builder:
- Dimensions:
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Lake Michigan (Michigan side)
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden bulk vessel; primarily carried lumber.
Description
The Mackinac was a wooden schooner or bulk freighter built in 1882. It was engaged in the lumber trade on Lake Michigan.
History
The Mackinac encountered heavy storm conditions while outbound or seeking shelter, ultimately leading to its foundering on June 7, 1893. The vessel was carrying lumber at the time of its loss.
Significant Incidents
- During strong gale conditions on Lake Michigan, Mackinac took on water and sank. No detailed account exists beyond the fact that it was carrying lumber prior to foundering.
- No casualties were reported; the crew survived or abandoned the vessel in time.
Final Disposition
The Mackinac sank in a loaded state, and there are no records of hull recovery or salvage. The wreck remains unlocated, with no modern documentation or dive surveys recorded in shipwreck databases.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck of the Mackinac has not been mapped or discovered by divers or maritime archaeologists and may lie buried in soft lakebed sediments.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”mackinac-1882″ title=”References & Links”]
The Mackinac was a late-19th century wooden vessel engaged in the lumber trade on Lake Michigan. Although no lives were lost, the vessel sank and remains undocumented in modern shipwreck inventories. Critical information is missing, warranting deeper archival and local historical investigation.
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.
(built 1882; lost June 7, 1893)
Wooden bulk vessel; lost in Lake Michigan)
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Mackinac
- Year built: 1882 (wooden construction; registry/official number not located in summary indexes)
- Vessel Type: Wooden schooner or bulk freighter—primarily carried lumber
- Loss Date: June 7, 1893
- Loss Location: Lake Michigan—precise point in Michigan waters, off a known port (possibly Grand Haven or Manistique)
Cargo & Operational Status
- Cargo at loss: Lumber
- Voyage: Outbound—or seeking shelter—when the vessel encountered heavy storm conditions; she ultimately foundered
Circumstances of Loss
- During strong gale conditions on Lake Michigan, Mackinac took on water and sank (foundered). No detailed account exists, beyond being carrying lumber prior to foundering.
- Crew: No casualties were reported—crew survived or abandoned in time.
Final Disposition
- Mackinac sank in her loaded state; no hull recovery or salvage records. The wreck remains unlocated. No modern documentation, dive survey, or wreck identification is recorded in shipwreck databases.
Summary Table
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Mackinac |
| Built | 1882 |
| Vessel Type | Wooden lumber schooner/freighter |
| Cargo | Lumber |
| Loss Date | June 7, 1893 |
| Loss Location | Lake Michigan (Michigan side) |
| Cause | Foundered in storm |
| Crew & Casualties | None reported |
| Final Status | Sank at sea; wreck unlocated |
Research Limitations & Recommendations
The historical record for Mackinac is sparse and leaves multiple questions:
- Registry and owner detail unavailable: No official hull number or master’s name recorded in accessible summary.
- Cause unspecified beyond foundering: No logs or first-hand accounts explain whether hull breach, cargo shift, or flooding triggered the sinking.
- No known archival trace: Newspapers from June 1893 out of Michigan ports (e.g. Grand Haven, Ludington, Manistique) may mention storm losses or crew rescues.
- Absence in modern records: The wreck has not been mapped or discovered by divers or maritime archaeologists, and may lie buried in soft lakebed sediments.
Conclusion
Mackinac was a late‑19th century wooden vessel engaged in the lumber trade on Lake Michigan. She foundered during a storm on June 7, 1893, while carrying lumber. Although no lives were lost, the vessel sank and remains undocumented in modern shipwreck inventories. Critical information is missing—owner, captain, exact loss location, cause details—warranting deeper archival and local historical investigation.
I can assist with targeted searches in period newspapers, U.S. or Canadian registry archives, or suggest local historical societies and maritime museums that may hold port authority logs or insurance files. Let me know if you would like to pursue those next steps.
mackinac-1882 1893-06-07 19:21:00