Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Muskingum
- Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1856
- Builder: Stephens & Presley shipyard, Cleveland, Ohio
- Dimensions: 139 ft (42.4 m) X 26 ft (7.9 m); Depth of hold 11 ft (3.4 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 259 tons
- Location: Near Bois Blanc Island, Straits of Mackinac
- Official Number: 16413
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A two-masted wooden schooner built for hauling heavy bulk cargo, particularly coal, across Great Lakes routes.
Description
Constructed at Cleveland in 1856, the Muskingum measured approximately 139 ft in length and 26 ft in beam, with an 11 ft draft. Rated at around 259 tons, she was a typical freighter of her era—efficient for coal transport and capable of maintaining service through seasonal fog and storms on Lake Huron.
History
During her dozen years of operation, Muskingum shuttled coal from Cleveland and other Ohio ports to Great Lakes destinations. On 22 November 1868, navigating the Straits of Mackinac in heavy weather, the vessel’s crew attempted to stabilize her by shifting the anchor chain from bow to stern. Unfortunately, this altered the magnetic compass readings, causing the ship to veer off course. She struck a rock shoal near Bois Blanc Island and was driven ashore in the gale. The ship was pounded by waves and irreparably broken up by the next day, though fortunately, there were no fatalities.
Significant Incidents
- 22 November 1868: The Muskingum struck a rock shoal near Bois Blanc Island during a storm, leading to her total loss.
Final Disposition
Muskingum was declared a total loss. Her wooden hull was wrecked beyond salvage, and she was left fragmented on shore.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern rediscovery has been recorded; the wreck site remains undocumented in underwater or archaeological surveys.
There are no navigational buoys or markers designated for this wreck site. Given its breakup on shore, it does not pose a submerged hazard.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”muskingum-us-16413″ title=”References & Links”]
The wreck of Muskingum highlights the risks of early navigation on the Great Lakes—particularly how mechanical decisions like repositioning an anchor chain could have cascading navigational consequences. Her loss near Bois Blanc Island adds to the catalog of late-season storms and navigational hazards in the Straits of Mackinac, underscoring the vulnerability of even fully laden schooners to compass and course errors.
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
- Name: Muskingum
- Former Names: None documented
- Official Number: 16413 (heritagepursuit.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Date Built & Launched: 1856, Stephens & Presley shipyard, Cleveland, Ohio (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Measurements: 42.4 m × 7.9 m × 3.4 m (139 ft × 26 ft × 11 ft); 259 tons (formerly reported 382 tons old measurement) (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
- Cargo at Loss: 445 tons of coal (wisconsinshipwrecks.org, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Date Lost: 22 November 1868 (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Place of Loss: Near Bois Blanc Island in the Straits of Mackinac, Lake Huron (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Circumstance: Bound from Cleveland to Chicago, during a storm the crew shifted the anchor chain from forward to aft causing compass deviation; the vessel struck shoals and ran ashore, breaking up beyond saving by the following day; no loss of life (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Vessel Type
A two-masted wooden schooner built for hauling heavy bulk cargo, particularly coal, across Great Lakes routes.
Description
Constructed at Cleveland in 1856, the Muskingum measured approximately 139 ft in length and 26 ft in beam, with an 11 ft draft. Rated at around 259 tons, she was a typical freighter of her era—efficient for coal transport and capable of maintaining service through seasonal fog and storms on Lake Huron.
History
During her dozen years of operation, Muskingum shuttled coal from Cleveland and other Ohio ports to Great Lakes destinations. On 22 November 1868, navigating the Straits of Mackinac in heavy weather, the vessel’s crew attempted to stabilize her by shifting the anchor chain from bow to stern. Unfortunately, this altered the magnetic compass readings, causing the ship to veer off course. She struck a rock shoal near Bois Blanc Island and was driven ashore in the gale. The ship was pounded by waves and irreparably broken up by the next day, though fortunately, there were no fatalities .
Final Disposition
Muskingum was declared a total loss. Her wooden hull was wrecked beyond salvage, and she was left fragmented on shore.
Located By & Date Found
No modern rediscovery has been recorded; the wreck site remains undocumented in underwater or archaeological surveys.
Notations & Advisories
There are no navigational buoys or markers designated for this wreck site. Given its breakup on shore, it does not pose a submerged hazard.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – detailed loss entry for Muskingum (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Conclusion
The wreck of Muskingum highlights the risks of early navigation on the Great Lakes—particularly how mechanical decisions like repositioning an anchor chain could have cascading navigational consequences. Her loss near Bois Blanc Island adds to the catalog of late-season storms and navigational hazards in the Straits of Mackinac, underscoring the vulnerability of even fully laden schooners to compass and course errors.
Suggested Keywords & Glossary Terms: schooner, coal freighter, Straits of Mackinac, compass deviation, anchoring, Lake Huron shipwrecks
Categories: Great Lakes shipwrecks, navigational losses, Lake Huron wrecks, 19th‑century schooners