Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Marquette
- Type: Barkentine (Three-Masted Schooner)
- Year Built: 1856
- Builder: James Bushnell
- Dimensions: 139 ft (42.4 m) length × 30 ft (9.1 m) beam × 11 ft 2 in (3.4 m) depth
- Registered Tonnage: 436 65/95 tons (old measurement)
- Depth at Wreck Site: 12 m / 45 ft
- Location: Hope Island, Georgian Bay, Lake Huron
- Coordinates: Approx. vicinity of Hope Island, 45°12′N, 80°10′W
- Official Number: [Not listed]
- Original Owners: Eber B. Ward (initial); later S.J. Perry of Chicago
- Number of Masts: Three
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Marquette was a wooden barkentine, a hybrid sailing vessel characterized by carrying square sails on the foremast and fore-and-aft sails on the main and mizzen. This rig allowed for efficient handling with a small crew while retaining the power of square sails when running before the wind.
Description
Built in 1856 at Newport (Marine City), Michigan, by shipbuilder James Bushnell, the vessel embodied mid-century Great Lakes craftsmanship: oak framing, robust construction, and reinforced topsides for rough weather service.
History
Commissioned by Detroit industrialist Eber B. Ward, the Marquette was launched into the Lake Superior trade and enrolled at the Port of Detroit on June 18, 1856. She operated as a bulk carrier, hauling grain, lumber, and ore between upper-lake ports.
Incidents and Repairs (1860–1862):
- November 1860 – Collision with the schooner Milwaukee at St. Helena, Lake Michigan, causing topside damage.
- September 1862 – Collided with the A.J. Warner near Cheboygan, Michigan, and sank. The vessel was raised, repaired, and returned to service.
Under later ownership by S.J. Perry of Chicago, the barkentine continued Great Lakes cargo work until her final loss in 1867.
Significant Incidents
On November 20, 1867, while en route from Chicago to Collingwood carrying 20,000 bushels of corn, Marquette encountered a violent gale on Lake Huron. Driven off course toward Georgian Bay, she stranded off Hope Island. Despite crew efforts to lighten cargo, the pounding seas forced the vessel to founder near the shoals surrounding the island. The crew escaped without reported fatalities, but the vessel was declared a total loss.
Final Disposition
The Marquette came to rest in approximately 45 feet (12 meters) of water off Hope Island, Georgian Bay. Her wooden hull remains well-preserved in the cold, clear waters of Lake Huron and is accessible to divers. Artifacts including hull planking, fastenings, and sections of her rigging have been documented by sport divers and local maritime researchers.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck of the Marquette has been known for many years as part of the Georgian Bay dive community’s inventory. Exact discovery date is not documented, but the site has been regularly visited since the 1970s and confirmed as the Marquette by artifact correlation and location.
No active Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) are published for the site. Divers should be aware of changing wind and surface conditions around Hope Island. The wreck lies within recreational diving limits but requires standard cold-water safety precautions.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”marquette-1856″ title=”References & Links”]
Access to the wreck is by boat, with entry points available from Hope Island (Georgian Bay National Park waters). Conditions are generally excellent for diving, with visibility ranging from 30 to 60 ft (9 to 18 m) and minimal current. Recreational diving is permitted, but artifact removal is prohibited.
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.
Lead Image
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
Description
The Marquette was a wooden barkentine — a hybrid sailing vessel carrying square sails on the foremast and fore-and-aft sails on the main and mizzen. This rig allowed efficient handling with a small crew while retaining the power of square sails when running before the wind. Built in 1856 at Newport (Marine City), Michigan, by shipbuilder James Bushnell, the vessel embodied mid-century Great Lakes craftsmanship: oak framing, robust construction, and reinforced topsides for rough weather service.History
Commissioned by Detroit industrialist Eber B. Ward, the Marquette was launched into the Lake Superior trade and enrolled at the Port of Detroit on June 18, 1856. She operated as a bulk carrier, hauling grain, lumber, and ore between upper-lake ports. Incidents and Repairs (1860–1862): • November 1860 – Collision with the schooner Milwaukee at St. Helena, Lake Michigan, causing topside damage. • September 1862 – Collided with the A.J. Warner near Cheboygan, Michigan, and sank. The vessel was raised, repaired, and returned to service. Under later ownership by S.J. Perry of Chicago, the barkentine continued Great Lakes cargo work until her final loss in 1867.Final Voyage and Loss
On 20 November 1867, while en route from Chicago to Collingwood carrying 20,000 bushels of corn, Marquette encountered a violent gale on Lake Huron. Driven off course toward Georgian Bay, she stranded off Hope Island. Despite crew efforts to lighten cargo, the pounding seas forced the vessel to founder near the shoals surrounding the island. The crew escaped without reported fatalities, but the vessel was declared a total loss.Final Disposition
The Marquette came to rest in approximately 45 feet (12 meters) of water off Hope Island, Georgian Bay. Her wooden hull remains well-preserved in the cold, clear waters of Lake Huron and is accessible to divers. Artifacts including hull planking, fastenings, and sections of her rigging have been documented by sport divers and local maritime researchers.Located By & Date Found
The wreck of the Marquette has been known for many years as part of the Georgian Bay dive community’s inventory. Exact discovery date is not documented, but the site has been regularly visited since the 1970s and confirmed as the Marquette by artifact correlation and location.Notmars & Advisories
No active Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) are published for the site. Divers should be aware of changing wind and surface conditions around Hope Island. The wreck lies within recreational diving limits but requires standard cold-water safety precautions.Dive Information
Access: Boat (Hope Island approach from Midland or Penetanguishene) Entry Point: Hope Island (Georgian Bay National Park waters) Conditions: Excellent visibility (30–60 ft / 9–18 m); minimal current; cold water year-round Depth Range: 40–50 ft (12–15 m) Emergency Contacts: Canadian Coast Guard – Parry Sound / OPP Marine Unit Permits: Recreational diving permitted; artifact removal prohibited Dive Support: Operators in Midland, Tobermory, and Penetanguishene provide charters and air fillsCrew & Casualty Memorials
No casualties were reported in the loss of the Marquette. Crew identities are not listed in surviving records. Researchers may consult Find A Grave or Chronicling America for newspaper survivor accounts.Documented Statements & Extracts
“The barkentine Marquette, laden with corn, was driven ashore near Hope Island in the recent gale. Crew saved. Vessel total loss.” — Detroit Free Press, November 23, 1867
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
The Marquette was officially enrolled at Detroit on June 18, 1856. Records list Eber B. Ward as owner and James Bushnell as builder. Following her loss, the registry was closed for total loss in early 1868. Insurance ledgers note payout under “storm damage, Georgian Bay.”Site Documentation & Imaging
The wreck is charted as part of the NOAA Thunder Bay / Georgian Bay shipwreck survey corridor. Divers have photographed portions of the hull and rigging lying flat on sandy substrate. Visibility and preservation are excellent due to low biological decay in cold freshwater.Image Gallery
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Historical Collections of the Great Lakes – BGSU
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Great Lakes Ships Database
- Michigan Shipwreck Research Association
References
- Detroit Free Press, November 23, 1867 – “Loss of the Barkentine Marquette near Hope Island.”
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes – Vessel Enrollment Records, Detroit District (1856–1868)
- Historical Collections of the Great Lakes – BGSU
- David Swayze, Shipwreck File: Lake Huron Entries