Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Music US 92421

Explore the wreck of the Music, a wooden steam tug that met a fiery end in Portage Lake in 1899, now resting in shallow waters.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Music
  • Type: Wooden Steam Tug / Excursion Steamer
  • Year Built: 1892
  • Builder: McMillan
  • Dimensions: 93 ft (28.3 m); 21 ft; ~8 ft
  • Registered Tonnage:
  • Depth at Wreck Site: 3.05 m / 10 ft
  • Location: Portage Lake near Portage Point Drive, Onekama, Michigan
  • Official Number: 92421

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden Steam Tug / Excursion Steamer, 1892

Description

The Music was a wooden steam tug built in 1892, primarily used for passenger excursions between Manistee and Onekama. It featured live pianist and evening orchestra performances, catering to a high-end clientele.

History

Marketed as a high-end excursion vessel, Music saw limited success due to poor weather and competition. By late summer 1899, it was transferred to Sturgeon Bay for general cargo runs.

Significant Incidents

  • Final Voyage: Docked in Onekama to take on cargo (likely shingles) from Sturgeon Bay during the late 1899 season.
  • Fire Origin: Flames appeared near the boiler-room hours after captain and crew left for supper, leaving only two watchmen onboard.
  • Rapid Spread: The vessel was quickly engulfed; villagers feared a boiler explosion and did not assist.
  • Drift & Destruction: Ropes burned, Music floated westward into Portage Lake as a blazing spectacle, ultimately burned to the waterline and sank in 10–20 ft of water.

Final Disposition

The Music sank in shallow water in Portage Lake near Portage Point Drive, Onekama. The propeller was recovered and is now displayed at Onekama Village Park. Earlier dive surveys in 2022 located the hull remains in approximately 10–20 ft of water.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck of the Music is accessible in shallow waters, with ongoing opportunities for archaeological documentation and conservation efforts.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”music-us-92421″ title=”References & Links”]

The Music remains a compelling study of late-19th-century wooden steamers transitioning from leisure to cargo operations. Its dramatic burning at Onekama, documented and memorialized both physically and in local folklore, now rests in shallow, accessible depths.

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 Steam Tug / Excursion Steamer, 1892

Identification & Construction

  • Vessel Name: Music
  • Built: 1892, South Haven, Michigan by McMillan
  • Type: Wooden steam tug/ad hoc excursion steamer; 93 ft length × 21 ft beam × ~8 ft draft
  • Official No.: 92421 (U.S.)
  • Use: Passenger excursions between Manistee and Onekama, featuring live pianist and evening orchestra performances
    (Wikipedia, Manistee News Advocate)

Event – Total Loss on September 30, 1899

  • Final Voyage: Docked in Onekama to take on cargo (likely shingles) from Sturgeon Bay during the late 1899 season
  • Fire Origin: Flames appeared near the boiler‑room hours after captain and crew left for supper, leaving only two watchmen onboard
    (Manistee News Advocate)
  • Rapid Spread: The vessel was quickly engulfed; villagers feared a boiler explosion and did not assist
  • Drift & Destruction: Ropes burned, Music floated westward into Portage Lake as a blazing spectacle, ultimately burned to the waterline and sank in 10–20 ft of water
    (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Manistee News Advocate)

Site & Archaeological Record

  • Final Resting Place: Shallow water in Portage Lake near Portage Point Drive, Onekama
  • Remains: Propeller recovered and now displayed at Onekama Village Park with plaque; earlier dive surveys (2022) by enthusiasts located the hull remains in ~10–20 ft of water
    (Manistee News Advocate)

Historical Context & Significance

  • Marketed as a high-end excursion vessel, Music saw limited success due to poor weather and competition; transferred to Sturgeon Bay for general cargo runs by late summer 1899
    (Manistee News Advocate)
  • Its fiery demise turned into local folklore and contributed visual drama to Onekama’s cultural memory (“Demon‑Flame Ship”)
    (Manistee News Advocate)

Research & Field Opportunities

  • Archival Research:
    • Locate 1899 Manistee Daily News and Onekama accounts for crew details, cargo descriptions, and municipal responses
  • Wreck Survey:
    • Further onsite documentation by divers: framing, engine fragments, and remaining boiler components are probable and may be mapped with GPS
  • Cultural Memory:
    • Explore local oral histories via historical societies to enrich the narrative of loss and community impact
  • Conservation Planning:
    • Assess integrity of in‑lake remains and vulnerability to natural decay or vandalism; inform heritage protection measures

Conclusion

The Music remains a compelling study of late‑19th‑century wooden steamers transitioning from leisure to cargo operations. Its dramatic burning at Onekama, documented and memorialized both physically and in local folklore, now rests in shallow, accessible depths. The hull’s continued presence offers rich possibilities for archaeological documentation, interpretive storytelling, and conservation action.

music-us-92421 1899-09-30 15:23:00