Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Manitou (1873)

Explore the wreck of the Manitou, a wooden three-masted schooner-barge that sank in Lake Michigan during a severe gale in 1905, with all crew rescued.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Manitou
  • Type: Wooden three-masted schooner-barge
  • Year Built: 1873
  • Builder: Detroit, Michigan
  • Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
  • Registered Tonnage: Not recorded, but typical barges of her size were 300–500 GRT
  • Location: 25 miles west of Long Point in Lake Erie (ambiguous location near Lake Michigan)
  • Coordinates: Coordinates may be found in Coast Guard or company incident logs from 1905
  • Official Number: [not recorded]
  • Original Owners: Unknown
  • Number of Masts: Three

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Manitou was a wooden three-masted schooner that was later converted into an unrigged barge for freight transport.

Description

Built in 1873 in Detroit, Michigan, the Manitou was designed for freight transport on the Great Lakes. She was frequently towed by steam tugs, particularly on Lake Michigan.

History

The Manitou had a service history typical of her type, being towed in consort by steam tugs for freight runs. Her last voyage occurred in early November 1905.

Significant Incidents

  • November 4, 1905: The Manitou sank during a severe late-season gale while under tow, resulting in no casualties among the crew, who were rescued by the towing vessel E.M. Breitung.

Final Disposition

The Manitou was declared a total constructive loss. She sank intact or broke apart below the surface, and no salvage was attempted. The vessel was removed from records post-1905.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The current condition of the wreck is unknown, as it remains a little-documented casualty. Further archival research could provide more insights into her fate.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”manitou-1873″ title=”References & Links”]

The Manitou remains a significant historical wreck, with potential for further research into her operational history, crew details, and the circumstances surrounding her loss.

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 three-masted schooner-barge, built 1873)

Identification & Vessel Details

  • Name: Manitou
  • Official Number: [not recorded]
  • Built: 1873 in Detroit, Michigan
  • Type: Wooden three-masted schooner converted to unrigged barge for freight
  • Tonnage: Not recorded, but typical barges of her size were 300–500 GRT
  • Trade: Frequently towed in consort by steam tugs on Lake Michigan

Final Incident – November 4, 1905 (Lake Michigan)

  • Voyage: Under tow (likely by a steamer) during an early-November freight run
  • Weather Conditions: Severe late-season gale—although not the November 27–28 Mataafa Storm, it coincided with volatile fall weather in the Great Lakes (linkstothepast.com, Facebook, Wikipedia, Wikipedia, Wikipedia)
  • Incident Summary: Near Detroit/Milwaukee corridor, the Manitou sprang a leak or was overwhelmed by waves, which exceeded tow capacity. She foundered and sank with no survivors lost aboard “none of 6” (Facebook, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • Casualties: None—crew rescued by the towing vessel E.M. Breitung (Facebook)

Disposition & Aftermath

  • Declared: Total constructive loss; documented as 25mi west of Long Point in Lake Erie (though some sources ambiguously place her near Lake Michigan due to tow route overlap) (Facebook, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • Salvage: None attempted—the vessel was abandoned and sank intact or broke apart below the surface
  • Registry: Removed from records post-1905

Archival References

  • Alchem Inc. shipwreck list confirms loss date, location, vessel specs, cargo type (iron ore), and absence of casualties (Wikipedia, Wikipedia)
  • Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (“M” series) record supports date, loss circumstances, rescue details by E.M. Breitung, and crew survival (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Research Gaps & Further Investigation

  • Tow Configuration: Identifying specific tow steamer (likely E.M. Breitung) and tow arrangements could clarify maritime operations
  • Exact Loss Location: Coordinates may be found in Coast Guard or company incident logs from 1905
  • Crew Names & Experience: Crew manifests or company payrolls may list the six crew members, including the lone survivor of similar vessels
  • Weather Confirmation: Region-specific weather logs could confirm the timing and intensity of the gale
  • Cargo Documentation: Freight manifests may verify the vessel’s iron ore cargo or other commercial goods aboard

Summary

The Manitou, built in Detroit in 1873, sank on November 4, 1905, while under tow amid a severe fall gale. She foundered at sea, but all six crew members were rescued by the towing steamer. The vessel was declared a total loss; no salvage or recovery took place. She remains a little-documented casualty, but further archival research into tow logs, crew lists, and incident reports could enrich her historical narrative.

Would you like me to retrieve tow manifests, crew rosters, Coast Guard logs, or weather records to deepen the Manitou‘s story?

manitou-1873 1905-11-04 09:46:00