Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Norway
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1873
- Builder: Likely a Michigan or Ohio shipyard (exact builder unconfirmed)
- Dimensions: Approximate length 118–131 ft (36–40 m); Beam 26 ft (8 m); Depth of hold not documented
- Registered Tonnage: Estimated 300–400 tons
- Location: Lake Huron shoreline (precise location unknown)
- Coordinates: Not charted
- Official Number: Undocumented
- Original Owners: Not documented, but active on Lake Huron routes
- Number of Masts: Not specified
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Norway was a typical wooden schooner of the Great Lakes lumber and bulk cargo trade, designed to handle large deck loads, with a shallow draft and robust framing to withstand seasonal storms and heavy cargo such as timber, grain, or iron ore.
Description
Launched in 1873, the Norway worked across Lakes Huron and Michigan for nearly 16 years. She was a routine trader, carrying general cargo and likely lumber, reflecting the standard working schooner profile of the late 19th century.
In 1889, while navigating Lake Huron, the Norway encountered a severe storm and stranded along the Michigan shoreline. Historical records indicate she was wrecked beyond practical salvage. There is no confirmed loss of life in contemporary reports.
By November 20, 1890, her owners surrendered her official registration documents at Port Huron, Michigan, with an annotation noting “total loss.” That conclusively ended her enrollment, confirming she was abandoned after the wreck.
History
Declared a total constructive loss, the Norway was left to break up onshore or be scavenged piecemeal. No salvage or rebuilding was recorded.
Significant Incidents
- 1889: Stranded and wrecked during a severe storm on Lake Huron.
- 1890: Official registration documents surrendered, confirming total loss.
Final Disposition
There is no confirmed modern survey or dive site associated with this schooner. Her wreckage is presumed lost to shoreline erosion or buried in sand.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No active Notmar warnings exist for this vessel.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”norway-1873″ title=”References & Links”]
The Norway is representative of the thousands of wooden schooners that worked the Great Lakes lumber and cargo trades and succumbed to storms in the 19th century. While her final resting place is unknown, the documentation of her loss and the surrender of her papers in 1890 preserves her story in the historical record.
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.
Norway (Launched 1873)
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name(s): Norway
- Year Built: 1873
- Builder: Likely a Michigan or Ohio shipyard (exact builder unconfirmed)
- Registration Number: Undocumented
- Vessel Type: Wooden schooner
- Gross Tonnage: Estimated 300–400 tons
- Dimensions: Approximate length 36–40 m (118–131 feet); beam 8 m (26 feet)
- Owner (final): Not documented, but active on Lake Huron routes
- Final Resting Place: Lake Huron shoreline (precise location unknown)
- Coordinates: Not charted
- Date Lost: 1889 (storm)
- Depth: None — stranded and broken up
Vessel Type Description
The Norway was a typical wooden schooner of the Great Lakes lumber and bulk cargo trade, designed to handle large deck loads, with a shallow draft and robust framing to withstand seasonal storms and heavy cargo such as timber, grain, or iron ore.
History
Launched in 1873, the Norway worked across Lakes Huron and Michigan for nearly 16 years. She was a routine trader, carrying general cargo and likely lumber, reflecting the standard working schooner profile of the late 19th century.
In 1889, while navigating Lake Huron, the Norway encountered a severe storm and stranded along the Michigan shoreline. Historical records indicate she was wrecked beyond practical salvage. There is no confirmed loss of life in contemporary reports.
By November 20, 1890, her owners surrendered her official registration documents at Port Huron, Michigan, with an annotation noting “total loss.” That conclusively ended her enrollment, confirming she was abandoned after the wreck.
Final Dispositions
Declared a total constructive loss, the Norway was left to break up onshore or be scavenged piecemeal. No salvage or rebuilding was recorded.
Located By & Date Found
There is no confirmed modern survey or dive site associated with this schooner. Her wreckage is presumed lost to shoreline erosion or buried in sand.
Notmars & Advisories
No active Notmar warnings exist for this vessel.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Vessels Database – BGSU
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
Conclusion
The Norway is representative of the thousands of wooden schooners that worked the Great Lakes lumber and cargo trades and succumbed to storms in the 19th century. While her final resting place is unknown, the documentation of her loss and the surrender of her papers in 1890 preserves her story in the historical record.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Keywords: Norway, 1889 wreck, Lake Huron, schooner, lumber trade, storm loss
- Categories: Great Lakes schooners, stranded wrecks, 19th-century shipping, Lake Huron shipwrecks
- Glossary Terms: stranded, constructive total loss, registration surrender, schooner