Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Montgomery
- Type: Two-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1856
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Lake St. Clair
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wood Schooner, built 1856
Description
Identification & Vessel Specs
- Name: Montgomery
- Built: 1856; 19th-century wooden schooner
- Type: Two-masted schooner, used in timber trade
- Notable modifications: No records of rebuilds or registry changes
Operational Role
Primarily employed as a lumber and lath carrier on Lake St. Clair and interconnected Great Lakes waterways.
History
Incident – October 19, 1901
- While under tow by the steamer Leland, the Montgomery began leaking in worsening adverse weather—a gale.
- She took on water progressively, becoming waterlogged and unstable.
- To save the Leland and its crew, Montgomery was deliberately cut loose; she subsequently sank in Lake St. Clair.
- All crew were unharmed and rescued by the towing vessel.
Precedent Accident (1898)
- Three years earlier (c. 1898), Montgomery was reportedly involved in a collision with another vessel, leading to sinking.
- Records indicate she was later raised and returned to service—suggesting a resilient but heavily worked career prior to her final loss.
Significant Incidents
Wreck & Site Information
- Wreck status: Sunken in 1901 following tow release; no known rediscovery or formal survey.
- Probable location: In deeper waters of Lake St. Clair—specific coordinates undocumented.
- Site condition: Likely lies intact on the lake bottom, with hull intact below waterline; recovery records for 1898 collision are absent.
Final Disposition
Research Recommendations
- Archival exploration:
- Leland tow logs or Coast Guard records—detailing the crew rescue and operational procedures in 1901.
- Great Lakes Vessel Files for collision & salvage records circa 1898.
- Contemporary newspapers (Detroit Free Press, Detroit Tribune, Windsor papers) for reports of both incidents.
- Geophysical fieldwork:
- Conduct side-scan sonar sweep in the general tow route on Lake St. Clair.
- Follow up with ROV inspection or diver reconnaissance, depending on depth and visibility—Lake St. Clair often permits visibility >10 ft.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Significance
The Montgomery exemplifies timber-trade schooners of the late 19th century—withstanding two sinkings (collision and tow abandonment) before final loss. Its dual accidents and survival after one loss provide a rare case of vessel recovery and redeployment. If located, the wreck could yield insights into wooden hull longevity, repair techniques, and schooner construction methods of the era.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”montgomery-1856″ title=”References & Links”]
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.
Wood Schooner, built 1856
Identification & Vessel Specs
- Name: Montgomery
- Built: 1856; 19th-century wooden schooner
- Type: Two-masted schooner, used in timber trade
- Notable modifications: No records of rebuilds or registry changes
Operational Role
Primarily employed as a lumber and lath carrier on Lake St. Clair and interconnected Great Lakes waterways.
Incident – October 19, 1901
- While under tow by the steamer Leland, the Montgomery began leaking in worsening adverse weather—a gale.
- She took on water progressively, becoming waterlogged and unstable.
- To save the Leland and its crew, Montgomery was deliberately cut loose; she subsequently sank in Lake St. Clair.
- All crew were unharmed and rescued by the towing vessel.
Precedent Accident (1898)
- Three years earlier (c. 1898), Montgomery was reportedly involved in a collision with another vessel, leading to sinking.
- Records indicate she was later raised and returned to service—suggesting a resilient but heavily worked career prior to her final loss.
Wreck & Site Information
- Wreck status: Sunken in 1901 following tow release; no known rediscovery or formal survey.
- Probable location: In deeper waters of Lake St. Clair—specific coordinates undocumented.
- Site condition: Likely lies intact on the lake bottom, with hull intact below waterline; recovery records for 1898 collision are absent.
Research Recommendations
- Archival exploration:
- Leland tow logs or Coast Guard records—detailing the crew rescue and operational procedures in 1901.
- Great Lakes Vessel Files for collision & salvage records circa 1898.
- Contemporary newspapers (Detroit Free Press, Detroit Tribune, Windsor papers) for reports of both incidents.
- Geophysical fieldwork:
- Conduct side-scan sonar sweep in the general tow route on Lake St. Clair.
- Follow up with ROV inspection or diver reconnaissance, depending on depth and visibility—Lake St. Clair often permits visibility >10 ft.
Significance
The Montgomery exemplifies timber-trade schooners of the late 19th century—withstanding two sinkings (collision and tow abandonment) before final loss. Its dual accidents and survival after one loss provide a rare case of vessel recovery and redeployment. If located, the wreck could yield insights into wooden hull longevity, repair techniques, and schooner construction methods of the era.
montgomery-1856 1901-10-19 15:13:00