Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Myrtle Camp (1892)

Explore the remains of the Myrtle Camp, a wooden schooner lost in a gale in 1894, now likely in deteriorated fragments along the shores of Lake Michigan.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Myrtle Camp
  • Type: Wooden two-masted schooner
  • Year Built: circa 1892
  • Builder:
  • Dimensions: 68 ft (20.73 m); Beam; Depth of hold
  • Registered Tonnage: ~48 GRT
  • Location: Approximately 1.5 miles north of Ingallsport (Ingallston), MI
  • Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Myrtle Camp was a wooden two-masted schooner, primarily used for cargo transport.

Description

Built around 1892, the Myrtle Camp was engaged in the trade of salt and empty barrels. The vessel measured approximately 68 feet in length and had a registered tonnage of about 48 gross tons.

History

The Myrtle Camp was listed in Great Lakes vessel registers, with no operational records past 1911. It was referenced in meteorological hazard records, indicating its involvement in significant weather events.

Significant Incidents

  • Date of loss: May 18, 1894
  • Location: Approximately 1.5 miles north of Ingallsport (Ingallston), MI, Lake Michigan
  • Cause: Driven ashore during a severe spring gale
  • Situation: Blown inland and grounded approximately 500 feet from deeper water; tugs were unable to reach her, leading to her being driven completely ashore.
  • Outcome: Vessel abandoned and likely wrecked; no reports of casualties or salvage.

Final Disposition

The Myrtle Camp was abandoned and wrecked onshore, with its hull likely broken up by wave action. The current status is presumed heavily deteriorated, with submerged portions possibly existing during high water events.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Today, the wreck of the Myrtle Camp is likely in deteriorated fragments along the high-water mark, with potential remains buried along the shoreline north of Ingallsport.

Resources & Links

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The Myrtle Camp serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by vessels navigating the Great Lakes, particularly during severe weather conditions. Further research may uncover more about her crew and the circumstances surrounding her loss.

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

Incident & Sinking

  • Date of loss: May 18, 1894
  • Location: Approximately 1.5 miles north of Ingallsport (Ingallston), MI, Lake Michigan
  • Cause: Driven ashore during a severe spring gale
  • Situation: Blown inland and grounded ~500 ft from deeper water. Tugs were unable to reach her and she was driven completely ashore (Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • Outcome: Vessel abandoned and likely wrecked; no reports of casualties or salvage

Historical Context & Sources

  • Referenced in meteorological hazard records: “On May 18, 1894, the wooden schooner Myrtle Camp while carrying salt and empty barrels, was driven ashore 500 feet from deep water in a terrific spring gale…” (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Wikipedia, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences)
  • Listed in Great Lakes vessel registers as a schooner of ~48 GRT built in 1892, with no further operational records past 1911 (navalmarinearchive.com)
  • Likely value lost on site due to inability to refloat

Final Disposition & Site Condition

  • Final fate: Abandoned and wrecked onshore; hull likely broken up by wave action
  • Current status: Presumed heavily deteriorated; submerged portions may exist during high water events

Gaps & Further Research Potential

  1. Crew information: Logs, crew lists, casualty mentions—check regional station records
  2. Local press: Newspapers from early May–June 1894 in Escanaba, Menominee, Marinette, and Chicago may contain salvage or grounding reports
  3. Salvage outcomes: Insurance claims or tugboat captain logs from Manistee/Milwaukee for post-grounding salvage attempts
  4. Archaeology: Terrain surveys or drone imagery could locate buried remains along shoreline north of Ingallsport

Summary

The MYRTLE CAMP was a modest wooden schooner built around 1892, engaged in minor cargo trade. She fell victim to a powerful spring gale on May 18, 1894, resulting in her being driven ashore near Ingallsport, MI, laden with salt and barrels. The grounding, compounded by difficult access, rendered her a total loss and she was subsequently abandoned. Today, the wreck probably lies in deteriorated fragments along the high-water mark.

myrtle-camp-1892 1894-05-18 14:27:00