Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: N.C. Baldwin
- Type: Wooden two-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1836
- Builder: Diodate Rodgers
- Dimensions: Length 102 ft (31 m); Beam 23 ft (7 m); Depth of hold 9 ft (2.7 m)
- Registered Tonnage: ~182 tons
- Location: Near Twin River(s), Wisconsin
- Coordinates: Unknown
- Official Number: none recorded
- Original Owners: Unknown (referred in shipping registries)
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Vessel Type
Wooden two-masted schooner typical of early Great Lakes lumber vessels.
Description
Description
N.C. Baldwin was a wooden two-masted schooner typical of early Great Lakes lumber vessels—built with a moderate hold, shallow draft, and rigging suitable for inland freight haulage. No underwater remains or site condition data exists; she ended up driven ashore and likely stripped or salvaged.
History
History
Launched in 1836 from Cleveland by Diodate Rodgers, she served the Lake Michigan lumber-cargo trade, carrying loads between Chicago, Michigan, and Wisconsin waterways. On a final voyage in March 1850—either the 7th or the 24th—while departing Chicago during a storm, N.C. Baldwin was driven ashore near Twin River(s), Wisconsin, and abandoned. Prior, she was reportedly wrecked and abandoned at Conneaut in 1845 but subsequently rebuilt.
Significant Incidents
Significant Incidents
- Reportedly wrecked and abandoned at Conneaut in 1845, then rebuilt.
- Driven ashore by gale-force weather during departure from Chicago in March 1850.
Final Disposition
Final Disposition
Cause of Loss: Driven ashore by gale-force weather during departure from Chicago.
Wreck Condition: Declared a total loss, abandoned ashore; possible salvage of parts.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern documentation or site surveys exist. The vessel is known only from contemporary shipping registry entries and loss listings in Great Lakes archives. Access Type: N/A (wreck ashore—no submerged remains recorded).
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”n-c-baldwin-1836″ title=”References & Links”]
Closing Summary
The N.C. Baldwin remains a significant historical vessel in the context of Great Lakes shipping, with its story reflecting the challenges faced by early maritime operations in the region.
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.
Type: Wooden two‑masted schooner
Builder: Diodate Rodgers
Build Year: 1836
Construction Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Dimensions: 31 m × 7 m × 2.7 m (102 ft × 23 ft × 9 ft); ~182 tons
Cargo on Final Voyage: Lumber (general cargo)
Date of Loss: March 1850 (circa March 7 or March 24)
Location of Loss: Near Twin River(s), Wisconsin, along Lake Michigan
Coordinates: Unknown
Depth: Wreck ashore; not underwater
Owner(s): Unknown (referred in shipping registries)
Home Port: Chicago–area operations implied
Description
N.C. Baldwin was a wooden two‑masted schooner typical of early Great Lakes lumber vessels—built with a moderate hold, shallow draft, and rigging suitable for inland freight haulage. No underwater remains or site condition data exists; she ended up driven ashore and likely stripped or salvaged.
History
Launched in 1836 from Cleveland by Diodate Rodgers, she served the Lake Michigan lumber‑cargo trade, carrying loads between Chicago, Michigan, and Wisconsin waterways. On a final voyage in March 1850—either the 7th or the 24th—while departing Chicago during a storm, N.C. Baldwin was driven ashore near Twin River(s), Wisconsin, and abandoned. Prior, she was reportedly wrecked and abandoned at Conneaut in 1845 but subsequently rebuilt (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
Final Dispositions
Cause of Loss: Driven ashore by gale‑force weather during departure from Chicago.
Wreck Condition: Declared a total loss, abandoned ashore; possible salvage of parts.
Located By & Date Found
No modern documentation or site surveys exist. The vessel is known only from contemporary shipping registry entries and loss listings in Great Lakes archives (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
Notmars & Advisories
None noted. The stretch near the Wisconsin–Illinois border remains subject to early spring storms but registers no navigational hazards specific to the wreck site.
Dive Information
Access Type: N/A (wreck ashore—no submerged remains recorded)
Entry Point: N/A
Conditions: N/A
Depth Range: Shore level (no subaqueous context)
Emergency Contacts: Refer regional U.S. Coast Guard sector and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources emergency/diving contacts.
Permits & Rules: N/A—no underwater site.
Local Dive Support Services: N/A.
Crew & Casualty Memorials
No loss of life was reported. No crew names, survivor or fatality data, or memorial records have been located. Crew lists remain unknown.
Documented Statements & Extracts
“Date of loss: 1850, Mar [ca. 24th or 7th]. Place of loss: near Twin River, WI… While outbound from Chicago, she went ashore.” — Great Lakes Shipwreck Files
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
Official number: none recorded. No known enrollment or registry records have been located. Additional searches of vessel registries, Lloyd’s casualty records, and U.S./Canadian archives may be required for deeper enrollment history.
Site Documentation & Imaging
No underwater site documentation exists. No NOAA VR dives, no photographs, no models.
Image Gallery
No images available.
Resources & Links
References
Wreck Name: N.C. Baldwin
Other Names: None
Coordinates: Unknown (ashore near Twin River(s), WI)
Depth: Shore (not submerged)
Location Description: Driven ashore near Twin River(s), Wisconsin, Lake Michigan
Vessel Type: Wooden two‑masted schooner
Material: Wood
Dimensions: 31 m × 7 m × 2.7 m (102 ft × 23 ft × 9 ft), ~182 t
Condition: Wrecked ashore, abandoned
Cause of Loss: Storm, driven ashore
Discovery Date: Spring 1850 (registry‑recorded)
Discovered By: Shipping registry sources
Method: Record documentation only
Legal Notes: None
Hazards: None noted
Permits Required: N/A