Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Mary Miller
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1867
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Lakeport, Michigan
- Original Owners: J. B. Scott of Detroit
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Type: Wooden schooner
Description
The Mary Miller was a wooden schooner built in 1867. The exact dimensions of the vessel are not recorded. It was homeported in Lakeport, Michigan.
History
The Mary Miller was owned by J. B. Scott of Detroit. The vessel’s registry was surrendered on December 31, 1878, at Port Huron, with an annotation indicating a total loss on November 1, 1871.
Significant Incidents
- Loss Date: November 1, 1871
- Cause of Loss: Recorded as ‘unreported’ in the file, but vessel documentation indicates a total-loss event occurred on that date.
- Likely Cause: The schooner caught fire while docked at Lakeport. It was intentionally pushed away from the pier after the fire broke out, allowing it to drift into deeper water where it eventually burned out and sank.
- Reported Fatalities: None
Final Disposition
The burned hull of the Mary Miller was abandoned and later sank. The registry was surrendered seven years later at Port Huron, likely upon confirmation that she remained irretrievable in her burned, sunken state.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck site of the Mary Miller is likely located in Lake Huron’s nearshore zone, typical of small 19th-century schooners. It is not located within a designated NOAA marine sanctuary.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”mary-miller” title=”References & Links”]
Though officially listed as ‘unreported,’ the Mary Miller’s demise was very likely due to a dockside fire that consumed her while moored at Lakeport. The registry surrender in Port Huron confirms she was a total loss.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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