Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: MAPLEGREEN (originally OMAHA)
- Type: Propeller-driven cargo vessel
- Year Built: 1887
- Builder: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Dimensions: Length 222.8 ft (67.91 m); Beam 34.8 ft (10.61 m); Depth of hold 18.7 ft (5.7 m)
- Registered Tonnage: Gross 1,251 GT; Net 800 NT
- Location: Amherst Island Graveyard, Lake Ontario
- Official Number: 134350
- Original Owners: Canada Steamship Lines
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The OMAHA/MAPLEGREEN was a single-screw propeller-driven freighter built in the late 19th century, designed primarily for bulk cargo transport across the Great Lakes. Its mid-sized tonnage and modest power were typical for coastal and regional trade.
Description
The vessel featured a standard cargo configuration of the era—straight hull, forecastle, cargo holds amidships, and engine room aft. Its 66 hp engine powered a single propeller, supported by steam boilers. Superstructure included a pilothouse and deckhouse above the engine room.
History
Constructed in Milwaukee in 1887, the ship entered service as OMAHA. Throughout the 1890s she grounded twice—on Gray’s Reef in Lake Huron (1891) and off Devil’s Island in Lake Michigan (1896). She changed ownership around 1900, briefly enrolled in Ogdensburg, NY (1914), before being acquired by Canada Steamship Lines in 1920 and renamed MAPLEGREEN. By mid-1920s she was obsolete and intentionally scuttled in the Amherst Island Graveyard as part of a harbor clearing initiative from Kingston.
Significant Incidents
- Grounded on Gray’s Reef, Lake Huron (1891)
- Grounded off Devil’s Island, Lake Michigan (1896)
Final Disposition
Deliberately sunk around 1925 in the designated ship graveyard off Amherst Island, the vessel lies with other retired hulls. Specific depth and condition details are undocumented, but it is presumed to rest in shallow to moderate range, supplanted by subsequent debris and sediment.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Exact position, orientation, and hull integrity unknown—typical conditions in the Graveyard involve limited visibility, debris fields, and no formal mapping or exploration of this wreck. It is believed to be accessible to technical or exploratory divers with prior experience in low-visibility environments.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”maplegreen-c-134350-omaha” title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]
The MAPLEGREEN (ex-OMAHA) is representative of late-19th-century propeller freighters on the Great Lakes—subject to multiple grounding incidents, ownership shifts, and eventual obsolescence. Its final resting place in the Amherst Island Graveyard speaks to early-20th-century maritime disposal practices. While not extensively documented, the wreck remains an intriguing side piece to larger Graveyard narratives and a potential dive interest for qualified explorers.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
Join Shotline to read more →