Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Metropolis US 16414

Explore the wreck of the Metropolis, a wooden schooner with a storied history, lost in a storm in 1886 near Old Mission Point, Lake Michigan.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Metropolis
  • Type: Schooner
  • Year Built: 1857
  • Builder: Peck & Masters
  • Dimensions: Length: 126.05 ft (38.43 m); Beam: 28.3 ft (8.63 m); Depth of hold: 11.06 ft (3.37 m)
  • Registered Tonnage: 245.94 gross / 233.64 net tons
  • Location: 3 miles south of Old Mission Point, Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan
  • Official Number: 16414
  • Original Owners: Multiple owners including William F. Richmond, John J. Jewett & Augustus C. Taylor, Franklin H. Head
  • Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

  • Class: Schooner
  • Configuration: 2 masts, 1 deck
  • Primary Use: Bulk cargo, grain, lumber
  • Hull Material: Wood
  • Tonnage:
    • Old Style: 354 34/95 tons
    • Revised (1865): 245.94 gross / 233.64 net tons
  • Dimensions:
    • Length: 126.05 ft (38.43 m)
    • Beam: 28.3 ft (8.63 m)
    • Depth: 11.06 ft (3.37 m)
  • Cargo Capacity: ~16,000 bushels

Description

The Metropolis was a wooden schooner built in 1857, notable for its early use of a patented Philadelphia steering gear. It was primarily used for transporting bulk cargo, including grain and lumber, across the Great Lakes.

History

  • 1857 (Apr 4): Launched with a Philadelphia patent steering gear.
  • 1857 (May 5): Enrolled at Cleveland, Ohio.
  • 1857 (Oct): Grounded at Middle Island Reef with coal cargo; released by SALVOR.
  • 1858 (May): Ashore off Forty Mile Point, Lake Huron with wheat.
  • 1858 (May 13): Owned by William F. Richmond, Buffalo, NY.
  • 1859 (Jun): Ownership transferred to John J. Jewett & Augustus C. Taylor.
  • 1859 (Sep 3): Collision with schooner CAPE HORN, St. Clair Flats.
  • 1862 (Oct): Damaged en route from Chicago.
  • 1865 (Apr 27): Re-enrolled by Orson W. Goit, Chicago.
  • 1867 (Nov 11): Broke in two off Waugoshance with 15,100 bushels of wheat.
  • 1869 (Apr): Collision at Chicago.
  • 1869 (Nov): Aground at Rondeau, Lake Erie (reported twice).
  • 1872–1880: Underwent multiple repair events.
  • 1881 (Jul 8): Struck a bridge at Cleveland.
  • 1882 (Dec): Aground at Cathead Light, Lake Michigan.
  • 1883 (May 25): Major collision:
    • Struck by steamer MONOHANSETT in fog.
    • Then hit again by consort METACOMET.
    • Significant bow damage; rescued by tug LEVIATHAN and repaired in Milwaukee.
  • 1885 (May 1): Owned by Franklin H. Head, Ohio.
  • 1886 (Nov 26): Final wreck: driven ashore near Old Mission Point, Grand Traverse Bay.

Significant Incidents

  • Grounded multiple times, including at Middle Island Reef and Forty Mile Point.
  • Involved in several collisions, notably with the CAPE HORN and steamer MONOHANSETT.
  • Significant damage occurred during the 1883 collision, leading to repairs in Milwaukee.

Final Disposition

  • Driven ashore by gale-force conditions.
  • Broken up by wave action on 26 Nov 1886.
  • Officially considered a total loss.
  • Some reports suggest potential salvage and another wrecking incident in 1893, but this remains unconfirmed.

Current Condition & Accessibility

As of current records, the Metropolis has not been located. No sonar documentation or diver reports of the site exist in major databases.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”metropolis-us-16414″ title=”References & Links”]

The Metropolis had an unusually long and accident-filled career spanning nearly 30 years. Her repeated groundings, collisions, and final wreck reflect the hazards of wooden schooner commerce on the Great Lakes in the 19th century. She was notable for her early use of a patented Philadelphia steering system and operated mainly between Chicago, Buffalo, and Lake Michigan ports. Her 1883 collision was among the more severe non-fatal accidents of that season, resulting in substantial hull damage.

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

  • Official Name: METROPOLIS
  • U.S. Official Number: 16414
  • Year Built: 1857
  • Builder: Peck & Masters
  • Build Location: Cleveland, Ohio
  • Final Location: 3 miles south of Old Mission Point, Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan
  • Date of Loss: 26 November 1886
  • Final Cargo: Iron fittings and lumber
  • Cause of Loss: Wrecked during a storm; driven ashore and destroyed by wave action
  • Alternate Wreck Report: May also have been later salvaged and wrecked again near Cana Island, WI in September 1893 (unconfirmed)

Vessel Type

  • Class: Schooner
  • Configuration: 2 masts, 1 deck
  • Primary Use: Bulk cargo, grain, lumber
  • Hull Material: Wood
  • Tonnage:
    • Old Style: 354 34/95 tons
    • Revised (1865): 245.94 gross / 233.64 net tons
  • Dimensions:
    • Length: 126.05 ft (38.43 m)
    • Beam: 28.3 ft (8.63 m)
    • Depth: 11.06 ft (3.37 m)
  • Cargo Capacity: ~16,000 bushels

Operational History

  • 1857 (Apr 4): Launched with a Philadelphia patent steering gear.
  • 1857 (May 5): Enrolled at Cleveland, Ohio.
  • 1857 (Oct): Grounded at Middle Island Reef with coal cargo; released by SALVOR.
  • 1858 (May): Ashore off Forty Mile Point, Lake Huron with wheat.
  • 1858 (May 13): Owned by William F. Richmond, Buffalo, NY.
  • 1859 (Jun): Ownership transferred to John J. Jewett & Sugustus C. Taylor.
  • 1859 (Sep 3): Collision with schooner CAPE HORN, St. Clair Flats.
  • 1862 (Oct): Damaged en route from Chicago.
  • 1865 (Apr 27): Re-enrolled by Orson W. Goit, Chicago.
  • 1867 (Nov 11): Broke in two off Waugoshance with 15,100 bushels of wheat.
  • 1869 (Apr): Collision at Chicago.
  • 1869 (Nov): Aground at Rondeau, Lake Erie (reported twice).
  • 1872–1880: Underwent multiple repair events.
  • 1881 (Jul 8): Struck a bridge at Cleveland.
  • 1882 (Dec): Aground at Cathead Light, Lake Michigan.
  • 1883 (May 25): Major collision:
    • Struck by steamer MONOHANSETT in fog.
    • Then hit again by consort METACOMET.
    • Significant bow damage; rescued by tug LEVIATHAN and repaired in Milwaukee.
  • 1885 (May 1): Owned by Franklin H. Head, Ohio.
  • 1886 (Nov 26): Final wreck: driven ashore near Old Mission Point, Grand Traverse Bay.

Final Disposition

  • Driven ashore by gale-force conditions.
  • Broken up by wave action on 26 Nov 1886.
  • Officially considered a total loss.
  • Some reports suggest potential salvage and another wrecking incident in 1893, but this remains unconfirmed.

Located By & Date Found

  • Not located. No sonar documentation or diver report of the site exists in major databases as of current records.

Notmars & Advisories

  • None published. No current hazard status listed near Old Mission Point for this vessel.

Resources & Archival Links

Conclusion

The METROPOLIS had an unusually long and accident-filled career spanning nearly 30 years. Her repeated groundings, collisions, and final wreck reflect the hazards of wooden schooner commerce on the Great Lakes in the 19th century. She was notable for her early use of a patented Philadelphia steering system and operated mainly between Chicago, Buffalo, and Lake Michigan ports. Her 1883 collision was among the more severe non-fatal accidents of that season, resulting in substantial hull damage.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary

  • Region: Lake Michigan, Door Passage, Grand Traverse Bay
  • Vessel Type: Wooden Schooner
  • Material: Wood
  • Cause of Loss: Storm, grounding
  • Date of Loss: 1886
  • Dive Status: Unknown
  • Significance: Long service history, frequent incident record, multiple owners
metropolis-us-16414 1886-11-26 01:10:00