Montgomery – Lake St. Clair Schooner Shipwreck (1901)

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

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