Mary Alice (1866, Schooner)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: MARY ALICE
• Type: Schooner
• Year Built: 1866
• Builder: Likely a Great Lakes port (specific location not recorded)
• Dimensions: Length 20-30 m (65-100 ft); Beam 5-7 m (16-23 ft); Depth of hold 2-3 m (6-10 ft)
• Registered Tonnage:
• Location: Lake Michigan
• Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The MARY ALICE was a small wooden schooner likely engaged in the short-haul lumber or cordwood trade, typical for the Great Lakes in the mid–late 19th century. These vessels were prized for their shallow draft, making them effective for working near shore and in small harbours.

Description

Built in 1866, the MARY ALICE operated as a small carrier on the lakes, transporting wood products. On 14 July 1884, she was caught in a sudden squall, capsized, and foundered. Despite the assistance of the tug HERCULES, the schooner could not be saved and went down at approximately noon. There is no mention of casualties, but the loss was considered complete.

History

No documented modern discovery or archaeological survey reported.

Significant Incidents

• 14 July 1884: Caught in a sudden squall, capsized, and sank in Lake Michigan.

Final Disposition

• Final Location: Presumed to have sunk in Lake Michigan, precise coordinates not recorded
• Date Lost: 14 July 1884
• Final Cargo: Wood
• How Lost: Capsized in squall

Current Condition & Accessibility

No confirmed wreck location is recorded, and there are no reports of subsequent salvage or archaeological identification.

Resources & Links

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The MARY ALICE is representative of the many modest-sized lumber schooners that plied the Great Lakes. Her rapid loss in a squall underscores the ever-present danger of sudden storms on the lakes, which often overcame lightly ballasted wood carriers.

Keywords: schooner, Lake Michigan, lumber carrier, squall, capsizing, 19th-century shipping