Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Millard Fillmore
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1856
- Builder: Unknown (likely Buffalo or Cleveland area)
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Depth at Wreck Site: 9 m / 30 ft
- Location: 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Rogers City, Lake Huron
- Coordinates: Not precisely charted
- Original Owners: Not conclusively documented, but likely regional lumber/coal shippers
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden two-masted schooner (often classified as a “storm pig” — a colloquial term for a small, cheaply built wooden freighter), iron-fastened.
Description
The Millard Fillmore was a typical mid-19th century wooden schooner, rigged for the Great Lakes trade, with iron fastenings and a modest cargo capacity. Exact dimensions are sparse, but vessels of her type usually measured about 30–35 metres (100–115 feet) in length and 6–7 metres (20–24 feet) in beam.
History
The Millard Fillmore worked in the bulk cargo trade, moving primarily coal, iron, and timber between Michigan, Ohio, and other Lake Huron ports. On 27 August 1891, she was bound from Mackinaw City, Michigan, to Cleveland, Ohio, when she began leaking about 6.4 km (4 miles) north of Rogers City. Despite attempts to save the vessel, she foundered in about 9 metres (30 feet) of water.
Significant Incidents
- No salvage effort was reported at the time of loss.
Final Disposition
The schooner went down intact, and it is believed she either broke apart later in storms or became buried in shifting sediment on the shallow lakebed.
Current Condition & Accessibility
There is no confirmed modern survey of the wreck site. Historical reports place the wreck in about 9 metres (30 feet) of water north of Rogers City. Local divers have periodically searched the area without a conclusive identification.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”millard-fillmore-1856″ title=”References & Links”]
The Millard Fillmore is a typical example of the thousands of wooden schooners lost on the Great Lakes in the 19th century. Its modest size, short working life, and loss in shallow water are characteristic of Great Lakes trade risks in the iron and timber era.
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(s): Millard Fillmore
- Year Built: 1856
- Builder: Unknown (likely Buffalo or Cleveland area, common for schooners of the period)
- Owner at Loss: Not conclusively documented, but likely regional lumber/coal shippers
- Vessel Location: 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Rogers City, Lake Huron
- Coordinates: Not precisely charted
- Date Lost: 27 August 1891
Vessel Type
Wooden two-masted schooner (often classified as a “storm pig” — a colloquial term for a small, cheaply built wooden freighter), iron-fastened.
Description
The Millard Fillmore was a typical mid-19th century wooden schooner, rigged for the Great Lakes trade, with iron fastenings and a modest cargo capacity. Exact dimensions are sparse, but vessels of her type usually measured about 30–35 metres (100–115 feet) in length and 6–7 metres (20–24 feet) in beam.
History
The Millard Fillmore worked in the bulk cargo trade, moving primarily coal, iron, and timber between Michigan, Ohio, and other Lake Huron ports. On 27 August 1891, she was bound from Mackinaw City, Michigan, to Cleveland, Ohio, when she began leaking about 6.4 km (4 miles) north of Rogers City. Despite attempts to save the vessel, she foundered in about 9 metres (30 feet) of water.
Final Dispositions
The schooner went down intact, and no salvage effort was reported at the time. It is believed she either broke apart later in storms or became buried in shifting sediment on the shallow lakebed.
Located By & Date Found
There is no confirmed modern survey of the wreck site. Historical reports place the wreck in about 9 metres (30 feet) of water north of Rogers City. Local divers have periodically searched the area without a conclusive identification.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted; no active navigational hazards reported on current charts.
Resources & Links
Conclusion
The Millard Fillmore is a typical example of the thousands of wooden schooners lost on the Great Lakes in the 19th century. Its modest size, short working life, and loss in shallow water are characteristic of Great Lakes trade risks in the iron and timber era.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Keywords: Millard Fillmore, schooner, Rogers City, Lake Huron, 1891 wreck
- Categories: Great Lakes schooners, wooden vessels, shallow wrecks, Michigan maritime
- Glossary Terms: storm pig, foundered, iron-fastened, two-masted schooner