Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

N.M. Standart (1854)

Explore the wreck of the N.M. Standart, a wooden schooner-barge that sank in Lake Erie during a storm in 1880, with no casualties reported.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: N.M. Standart
  • Type: Wooden schooner–barge (non-powered)
  • Year Built: 1854
  • Builder: William Treat, Euclid, Ohio
  • Dimensions: ~138 × 30 × 12 ft (42 × 9 × 3.7 m); 331 gross tons
  • Registered Tonnage: 331 gross
  • Location: ~5 miles east of Fairport Harbor, Lake Erie
  • Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

A two-masted, wooden schooner–barge built for bulk freight transport under tow—common in mid to late 19th-century Great Lakes lumber trade.

Description

Measuring approximately 42 by 9 by 3.7 meters and rated at 331 gross tons, N.M. Standart represents a typical lumber barge of its era—sturdy, open-hold design, lacking independent propulsion, and vulnerable in severe weather.

History

Built in 1854, the vessel was in regular service hauling lumber in convoys towed by steamers. On 18 November 1880, she was part of such a tow headed east of Fairport Harbor, OH, in company with two sister barges and tug Ontonagon. Caught off-guard by a storm, the barge parted towline and foundered in deep water. The crew of six were reportedly safe.

Significant Incidents

  • On 18 November 1880, the N.M. Standart sank during a storm while in tow of the steamer Ontonagon.
  • None of the six crew members aboard were lost.

Final Disposition

Sank in Lake Erie; presumed to lie on the lakebed in waters east of Fairport Harbor. No salvage or recovery operations were documented.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No known surveys or archaeological investigations have identified the wreck. Exact location and condition remain unknown.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”n-m-standart-1854″ title=”References & Links”]

N.M. Standart (1854–1880) sank during a November gale east of Fairport Harbor after breaking tow from the steamer Ontonagon, with luck on the side of her crew—none were lost. Her remains rest deep in Lake Erie, uncharted.

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

Vessel Type

A two-masted, wooden schooner–barge built for bulk freight transport under tow—common in mid to late 19th-century Great Lakes lumber trade.

Description

Measuring approximately 42 by 9 by 3.7 meters and rated at 331 gross tons, N. M. STANDART represents a typical lumber barge of its era—sturdy, open-hold design, lacking independent propulsion, and vulnerable in severe weather.

History

Built in 1854, the vessel was in regular service hauling lumber in convoys towed by steamers. On 18 November 1880, she was part of such a tow headed east of Fairport Harbor, OH, in company with two sister barges and tug Ontonagon. Caught off-guard by a storm, the barge parted towline and foundered in deep water. The crew of six were reportedly safe.

Final Disposition

Sank in Lake Erie; presumed to lie on the lakebed in waters east of Fairport Harbor. No salvage or recovery operations were documented.

Located By & Date Found

No known surveys or archaeological investigations have identified the wreck. Exact location and condition remain unknown.

Notations & Advisories

  • No active navigational warnings or charted hazards correspond to the wreck site.
  • Because she sank in deep water, N. M. STANDART poses no known navigational hazard.

Archival & Research Expansion

  • Storm Context: The Alpena Storm of November 1880 was a major gale event across Lake Huron and Lake Erie, causing 100+ fatalities and numerous wrecks (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com, en.wikipedia.org).
  • Local Press Records: pursue newspapers from Fairport Harbor, Cleveland, and Port Clinton dating November 1880 to locate:
    • Tow details, timing of the Ontonagon convoy
    • Eyewitness reports of the break in towline and recovery or rescue efforts
    • Potential positioning references for the wreck site
  • Salvage and Insurance Records: check:
    • Cleveland underwriter archives and Great Lakes maritime directories
    • Likely listings in Burton, Lytle, and Polk marine directories around 1881–84 for policies, claims, or wreck notices
  • Technical Mapping: With historical storm track data and convoy route charts, prepare a dive-grade mapping report showing probable resting zones for the wreck, suitable for future sonar search efforts.

Conclusion

N. M. STANDART (1854–1880) sank during a November gale east of Fairport Harbor after breaking tow from the steamer Ontonagon, with luck on the side of her crew—none were lost. Her remains rest deep in Lake Erie, uncharted

n-m-standart-1854 1880-11-18 22:31:00