Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Mineral State
- Type: Wooden schooner-barge
- Year Built: 1873
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Reef near Port Stanley, Lake Erie
- Original Owners: Not conclusively recorded
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Mineral State was a wooden schooner-barge, originally rigged as a schooner but adapted for towing, typical of bulk coal transport on the Great Lakes during the late 19th century.
Description
She featured a strong wooden hull with oak frames and pine planking, built to carry heavy bulk cargo like coal. As a schooner-barge, she retained masts for auxiliary sail power but was primarily towed by steamers. She had a deep cargo hold and broad beam, suited for stability in rough weather.
History
The Mineral State worked the busy Lake Erie coal trade between Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Ontario ports. On 30 October 1902, while inbound for Port Stanley, Ontario, with a load of coal, she was caught in a violent autumn storm. Pushed by high seas and gale-force winds, she drove onto a reef off Port Stanley and quickly broke up in the pounding surf.
Reports note that most of her crew were able to get ashore safely, though the vessel and cargo were declared a total loss.
Significant Incidents
- 30 October 1902: Caught in a storm and wrecked on a reef near Port Stanley.
Final Disposition
The Mineral State broke up on the reef and was a complete loss. There is no evidence of any significant salvage effort beyond recovery of some coal.
Current Condition & Accessibility
There is no modern confirmed archaeological survey of the Mineral State wreck site, though scattered remains may still be in the vicinity of the Port Stanley reef.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”mineral-state1873″ title=”References & Links”]
The loss of the Mineral State demonstrates the harsh conditions faced by coal schooner-barges on Lake Erie in late-season storms. Though most of her crew were saved, the loss of ship and cargo was a significant financial blow and highlights the vulnerability of towed wooden barges in bad weather.
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
- Vessel Name: Mineral State
- Type: Wooden schooner-barge
- Year built and launched: 1873
- Owner: Not conclusively recorded
- Cargo: Coal
- Date lost: 30 October 1902
- Location: Reef near Port Stanley, Lake Erie
- Crew: Most of crew rescued; no known fatalities
Vessel Type
The Mineral State was a wooden schooner-barge, originally rigged as a schooner but adapted for towing, typical of bulk coal transport on the Great Lakes during the late 19th century.
Description
She featured a strong wooden hull with oak frames and pine planking, built to carry heavy bulk cargo like coal. As a schooner-barge, she retained masts for auxiliary sail power but was primarily towed by steamers. She had a deep cargo hold and broad beam, suited for stability in rough weather.
History
The Mineral State worked the busy Lake Erie coal trade between Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Ontario ports. On 30 October 1902, while inbound for Port Stanley, Ontario, with a load of coal, she was caught in a violent autumn storm. Pushed by high seas and gale-force winds, she drove onto a reef off Port Stanley and quickly broke up in the pounding surf.
Reports note that most of her crew were able to get ashore safely, though the vessel and cargo were declared a total loss.
Final Dispositions
The Mineral State broke up on the reef and was a complete loss. There is no evidence of any significant salvage effort beyond recovery of some coal.
Located By & Date Found
There is no modern confirmed archaeological survey of the Mineral State wreck site, though scattered remains may still be in the vicinity of the Port Stanley reef.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Vessels Index (BGSU)
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
Conclusion
The loss of the Mineral State demonstrates the harsh conditions faced by coal schooner-barges on Lake Erie in late-season storms. Though most of her crew were saved, the loss of ship and cargo was a significant financial blow and highlights the vulnerability of towed wooden barges in bad weather.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Wooden schooner-barge
- Lake Erie
- Port Stanley
- Coal transport
- Great Lakes storms
- 19th-century shipping
- Shipwreck
- Maritime history
If you’d like, I can help check Canadian shipping records or local Port Stanley newspaper archives for more details about the crew rescue — just let me know!
mineral-state1873 1902-10-30 00:18:00