Neshoto US 130440

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Neshoto
• Type: Wooden bulk freighter
• Year Built: 1889
• Builder: Thomas Quayles & Sons, Cleveland, Ohio
• Dimensions: 284.2 ft (86.6 m); Beam: 42.5 ft; Depth of hold: 22 ft
• Registered Tonnage: 2,255.11 gross / 1,904.58 net
• Location: Crisp Point, Lake Superior, Michigan
• Official Number: 130440
• Number of Masts: Four masts

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Neshoto was a wooden bulk freighter, characterized by its single deck and four masts, designed for carrying bulk cargoes such as iron ore.

Description

Built in 1889 by Thomas Quayles & Sons in Cleveland, Ohio, the Neshoto measured 284.2 feet in length, with a beam of 42.5 feet and a depth of 22 feet. It had a registered tonnage of 2,255.11 gross tons and was capable of carrying approximately 2,250 tons of bulk ore.

History

The Neshoto was enrolled in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 3, 1889, and became active in the iron-ore trade between Superior, Wisconsin, and Buffalo, New York. Throughout its operational history, the vessel encountered several notable incidents, including grounding off Keweenaw Point in September 1892 and at Spectacle Reef in October 1894.

Significant Incidents

• May 1890: Sank barge O. J. Hale near Port Sanilac, MI.
• September 1892: Grounded off Keweenaw Point, Lake Superior.
• October 1894: Grounded at Spectacle Reef, Lake Huron.
• September 1898: Aground in Detroit River.

Final Disposition

The Neshoto met its demise on September 28, 1908, when it stranded at Crisp Point, Lake Superior, due to thick smoke and poor visibility caused by nearby forest fires. The vessel was subsequently pounded to pieces by waves before salvage operations could commence. At the time of its loss, it was carrying approximately 2,822 tons of iron ore, valued at around $3 per ton, with the vessel itself valued at approximately $50,000. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties among the crew of 16.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck site is located along the shoreline off Crisp Point, known as the ‘Shipwreck Coast.’ The current condition of the wreck is largely destroyed and scattered, with reports indicating that it has likely been reduced to wreckage fragments in shallow surf, and no intact hull remains are present. Debris such as wooden hatch covers and a section of the pilot house have been reported washing ashore.

Resources & Links

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The Neshoto serves as an exemplar of late-19th-century wooden bulk freighters operating on Lake Superior. Its wreck highlights the seasonal hazards of navigation, particularly the impact of fire-generated fog. Crisp Point, named for its life-saving station, is historically significant and is part of Michigan’s Whitefish Point Underwater Preserve.