Nico – Lake Michigan Freighter Shipwreck (1924)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Niko
• Type: Propeller-driven wooden bulk freighter
• Year Built: 1889
• Builder: John Craig & Son, Trenton, Michigan
• Dimensions: 200 ft overall length; 35 ft beam; 20 ft depth of hold
• Registered Tonnage:
• Location: Off Garden Island, Michigan
• Official Number: 130439
• Original Owners: Edward Hines Company

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Niko was a substantial wooden-hulled, propeller-driven freighter built specifically for the lumber trade—one of the last in the Edward Hines Company’s fleet. With over 200 ft in length, a single-deck layout, coal-fired propulsion, and robust construction, she was typical of late 19th-century bulk carriers on the Upper Great Lakes.

Description

Niko was a wooden bulk freighter designed for the lumber trade, notable for her size and construction typical of the era. She was propelled by a coal-fired engine and was part of the Edward Hines fleet.

History

Constructed in 1889 at Trenton, Michigan, Niko served primarily in the Chicago-based Hamilton Transportation Co. fleet hauling lumber. On 2 November 1924, she was under tow near Garden Island, Michigan, bound with her tow-barge C.E. Redfern. A violent gale caused her hull to fail, and she foundered shortly thereafter. The Redfern took aboard Niko‘s crew and rode out the storm in sheltered waters before making port.

Significant Incidents

• 2 November 1924: Niko foundered during a severe storm on Lake Michigan while towing the barge C.E. Redfern.
• No loss of life reported; crew rescued by the tow-barge.

Final Disposition

Caught in the storm off Garden Island, Niko took on water rapidly and sank. No salvage attempts are recorded. Her tow-barge survived, and crew were safely transferred, but the main vessel was lost.

Current Condition & Accessibility

There is no modern documentation of the wreck being located via dive or sonar survey. No modern maritime archaeology projects associated with Niko are known, and the wreck remains unsearched.

Resources & Links

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The Niko sank off Garden Island, Lake Michigan, on 2 November 1924 after her hull was breached in storm conditions while hauling lumber and towing the C.E. Redfern. Her crew was safely rescued aboard the barge, which survived in sheltered water. Although well documented in historic vessel registers and incident databases, no modern archaeological survey has located the wreck. This case underscores the risks faced even by late-era wooden freighters in severe weather.