Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Milwaukie (1836)

Explore the wreck of the Milwaukie, a three-masted schooner lost in a storm in 1842, now a significant site for maritime history enthusiasts.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Milwaukie
  • Type: Wooden three-masted schooner
  • Year Built: 1836
  • Builder: B.F. Delano yard, Grand Island, Niagara River
  • Dimensions: 113 ft × 27 ft × 10 ft; approximately 286 tons (old measurement)
  • Registered Tonnage: Not officially documented
  • Location: Off the mouth of Kalamazoo River, near Saugatuck, Michigan
  • Official Number: Not officially documented
  • Number of Masts: Three

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Milwaukie was a wooden three-masted schooner, primarily used for general merchandise freight.

Description

Built in 1836, the Milwaukie was one of the earliest three-masted schooners on Lake Michigan. It measured 113 feet in length, 27 feet in beam, and had a hold depth of 10 feet. The vessel was approximately 286 tons, based on old measurement standards.

History

The Milwaukie was constructed at the B.F. Delano yard on Grand Island in the Niagara River. It played a significant role in the early maritime trade of the Great Lakes, transporting goods such as flour and whiskey.

Significant Incidents

  • Final Incident: On November 18, 1842, the Milwaukie departed from the Kalamazoo River after loading 400-500 barrels of flour and other merchandise, bound for Buffalo, New York.
  • Storm Conditions: The vessel encountered a severe late-season storm characterized by strong northwest winds and freezing temperatures.
  • Final Stranding: The anchored vessel dragged onto a sandbar, was pounded broadside against beach ice, and ultimately broke in half in heavy seas.
  • Casualties: Of the 15 crew members aboard, 9 perished—seven froze ashore, and two drowned while attempting to swim.

Final Disposition

The Milwaukie was declared a total constructive loss as it broke in two on the sandbar and was quickly destroyed. While bodies were recovered and some cargo salvaged by local communities, no salvage of the vessel itself was recorded.

Current Condition & Accessibility

In 2023, the wreck site was rediscovered through sonar investigation, revealing remains amid sandbar conditions near Saugatuck Dunes State Park. Underwater detection has identified the keel and structural ribs of the vessel.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”milwaukie-1836″ title=”References & Links”]

The Milwaukie remains a poignant artifact of early Great Lakes maritime history, illustrating the dangers faced by sailors in the region. Its tragic demise during the 1842 storm marks it as one of the earliest recorded shipwrecks on Lake Michigan.

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.

(wooden three-masted schooner, built 1836)

Identification & Vessel Information

  • Name: Milwaukie (sometimes spelled Milwaukee)
  • Built: 1836, B.F. Delano yard, Grand Island, Niagara River
  • Type: Wooden three-masted schooner, used for general merchandise freight
  • Dimensions: 113 ft × 27 ft × 10 ft; approximately 286 tons (old measurement)
  • Official Number: Not officially documented; known as one of the earliest ships launched on Lake Michigan (michiganshipwrecks.org, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, AOL)

Final Incident – November 18, 1842

  • Date: November 18, 1842 (some sources cite Nov 2; endorsed as Nov 18 from survivor letters and ship registries) (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • Voyage & Cargo: Departed anchorage off the mouth of Kalamazoo River after loading 400–500 barrels of flour and additional merchandise (including whiskey) from St. Joseph; bound for Buffalo, New York (michiganshipwrecks.org)
  • Storm Conditions: Captured in a vicious late-season storm (“hard winter storm”) with strong northwest winds and freezing temperatures (KATV)
  • Final Stranding: The anchored vessel dragged onto a sandbar, pounded broadside agadinst beach ice, and broke in half in heavy seas (michiganshipwrecks.org)
  • Casualties: 9 out of 15 aboard perished—seven froze ashore, two drowned attempting to swim (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Outcome & Wreck Details

  • Declared: Total constructive loss; wreck broke in two on the sandbar and was quickly destroyed.
  • Salvage: Bodies recovered; cargo washed ashore and salvaged by local communities; no vessel salvage is recorded (KATV)
  • Legacy: Built as one of the first three-masted schooners on Lake Michigan, Milwaukie‘s tragic demise during the 1842 “incredible storm” made it one of the earliest recorded shipwrecks on the lake.

Primary & High-Quality Sources

  • Michigan Shipwreck Research Association: Detailed narrative of Milwaukie‘s final voyage, loading history, disaster sequence, wreck breakup, and survival outcome (michiganshipwrecks.org)
  • AccuWeather, UPI, Katv⁏: Modern rediscovery of the wreck site off Saugatuck using satellite mapping and dive analysis, confirming remains amid sandbar conditions from 2022–23 (KATV)
  • Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (Letter “M”): Structured summary of cargo, casualties, and wreck dynamics (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Research Opportunities & Preservation Insights

  • Site Analysis: Underwater detection has revealed the keel and structural ribs in sand at Saugatuck Dunes State Park (KATV)
  • Archival Narratives: Survivor letters and crew statements filed in ship registries are preserved and offer compelling personal accounts (KATV)
  • Grave & Memorial Records: Likely unmarked burial sites near the wreck point; potential for local archival or genealogy documentation
  • Material Culture: Remaining ship timbers offer archaeological insight into early schooner construction styles on the Great Lakes

Conclusion

The Milwaukie, launched in 1836 as one of Lake Michigan’s first three-masted schooners, met a tragic end on November 18, 1842, during a severe storm while anchored at the Kalamazoo River mouth. Laden with flour, whiskey, and merchandise, she broke in two and was destroyed on a sandbar. Nine of the fifteen aboard perished. Rediscovered in 2023 through sonar investigation near Saugatuck, the wreck now stands as a poignant artifact of early Great Lakes maritime history.

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