Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: May Cornell
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1882
- Builder: Likely local shipwrights at Manistee, Michigan
- Dimensions: Length: 32 ft (9.8 m); Beam: 11.8 ft (3.6 m); Depth of hold: 3.8 ft (1.2 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 8.06 tons
- Location: Big Sable Point, Lake Michigan
- Official Number: 91510
- Original Owners: Not specifically recorded
- Number of Masts: 1
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
May Cornell was a small, traditionally built wooden schooner — one of the smallest recorded commercial carriers operating in the Great Lakes at the time, working mostly light package or lumber cargo.
Description
At only 32 ft long, the May Cornell was built on a modest scale, with a single deck, fore-and-aft rig, and shallow draft suited to small-scale coastal commerce along Lake Michigan. Such schooners commonly handled shingles, small lumber loads, or agricultural goods between shoreline settlements.
History
- 1882: Built at Manistee, Michigan.
- 1889: Enrolled at Grand Haven, Michigan, indicating active commercial use by that year.
- September 30, 1894: Stranded and abandoned about 1 mile south of the lighthouse at Big Sable Point, Michigan, while carrying a load of shingles.
- 1904: Registration officially closed as abandoned, finalizing her loss from official records.
Despite being a tiny schooner by Great Lakes standards, May Cornell was a legitimate part of the coastal trading network in the late 19th century, a period when even very small vessels were registered as commercial carriers.
Significant Incidents
No significant incidents recorded beyond her stranding and abandonment.
Final Disposition
Abandoned near Big Sable Point after stranding in 1894.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No known modern surveys or archaeological documentation; likely scattered or buried in shifting sands near Big Sable Point.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”may-cornell-us-91510″ title=”References & Links”]
The May Cornell illustrates the important role of even the smallest schooners in Great Lakes commerce, handling lighter, short-haul loads essential to smaller settlements. Her loss in 1894 reflects the hazards of Lake Michigan’s shifting shoals and unpredictable weather, which challenged vessels of all sizes.
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.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: May Cornell
- Official Number: 91510
- Year Built: 1882
- Builder: Likely local shipwrights at Manistee, Michigan
- Original Owner: Not specifically recorded
- Vessel Type: Wooden schooner
- Hull Materials: Wood
- Number of Decks: 1
- Dimensions:
- Length: 9.8 m (32 ft)
- Beam: 3.6 m (11.8 ft)
- Depth: 1.2 m (3.8 ft)
- Gross Tonnage: 8.06 tons
- Net Tonnage: 7.65 tons
- Final Location: Big Sable Point, Lake Michigan
- Date Lost/Abandoned: 1894 (officially closed 1904)
- Final Cargo: Shingles
Vessel Type
May Cornell was a small, traditionally built wooden schooner — one of the smallest recorded commercial carriers operating in the Great Lakes at the time, working mostly light package or lumber cargo.
Description
At only 32 ft long, the May Cornell was built on a modest scale, with a single deck, fore-and-aft rig, and shallow draft suited to small-scale coastal commerce along Lake Michigan. Such schooners commonly handled shingles, small lumber loads, or agricultural goods between shoreline settlements.
History
- 1882: Built at Manistee, Michigan.
- 1889: Enrolled at Grand Haven, Michigan, indicating active commercial use by that year.
- September 30, 1894: Stranded and abandoned about 1 mile south of the lighthouse at Big Sable Point, Michigan, while carrying a load of shingles.
- 1904: Registration officially closed as abandoned, finalizing her loss from official records.
Despite being a tiny schooner by Great Lakes standards, May Cornell was a legitimate part of the coastal trading network in the late 19th century, a period when even very small vessels were registered as commercial carriers.
Final Disposition
Abandoned near Big Sable Point after stranding in 1894.
Located By & Date Found
No known modern surveys or archaeological documentation; likely scattered or buried in shifting sands near Big Sable Point.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Vessels Online Index — Bowling Green State University
- Steamboat Era in the Muskokas by Richard Tatley
Conclusion
The May Cornell illustrates the important role of even the smallest schooners in Great Lakes commerce, handling lighter, short-haul loads essential to smaller settlements. Her loss in 1894 reflects the hazards of Lake Michigan’s shifting shoals and unpredictable weather, which challenged vessels of all sizes.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
wooden schooner • Lake Michigan • Big Sable Point • 19th-century • small carrier • shingles cargo • coastal trade • shipwreck
may-cornell-us-91510 1894-09-30 21:07:00