Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Olive Jeanette
• Type: Schooner-barge
• Year Built: 1890
• Builder: F.W. Wheeler Shipyards
• Dimensions: Length 242 ft (73.76 m); Beam 39 ft (11.89 m); Depth of hold 16 ft (4.88 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 1,271
• Location: 4 miles north of Huron Island Lighthouse, Lake Superior
• Official Number: 155181
• Original Owners: Smith Transportation Company
• Number of Masts: 4

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

A large four-masted wooden schooner, the Olive Jeanette was part of the final generation of Great Lakes sailing vessels built to tow behind steamers in the bulk cargo trade. She was designed to carry large loads of iron ore or coal in tandem with a powered consort, operating as a schooner-barge.

Description

Built as Hull No. 72 by F.W. Wheeler Shipyards of West Bay City, Michigan, and constructed under master carpenter George F. Williams, the Olive Jeanette was one of the larger unpowered sailing consorts on the Great Lakes. Her specifications included:

• Length: 242 ft (73.76 m)
• Beam: 39 ft (11.89 m)
• Depth: 16 ft (4.88 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 1,271
• Net Tonnage: 1,208
• Masts: 4
• Hull Material: Wood
• Decks: 1

History

• 1890: Launched at West Bay City, Michigan. Enrolled at Port Huron. Built for L.J. Smith and soon operated under the Smith Transportation Company.
• 1891, April 3: Listed as owned by Smith Transportation Co., likely operated in the iron ore and coal trades common for schooner-barges of this era.
• 1905, September 3: The Olive Jeanette was under tow by the wooden steamer Iosco, a common practice to reduce operational costs and extend the use of sailing hulls. Both vessels encountered a powerful gale on Lake Superior off Huron Island. During the storm, both vessels foundered. The Olive Jeanette reportedly went down 4 miles north of Huron Island Lighthouse. Seven crew members perished in the disaster.

Significant Incidents

No significant incidents other than the loss of the vessel during a gale.

Final Disposition

The wreck was never salvaged. It sank in deep waters typical of northern Lake Superior and has not been conclusively located or documented by modern underwater surveys.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Not located. There are no known modern identifications of the Olive Jeanette wreck site.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”olive-jeanette-us-155181″ title=”References & Links”]

The Olive Jeanette illustrates the perils of schooner-barge operations in the early 20th century. Though robust and among the largest wooden consorts, her loss with the Iosco in a Lake Superior gale reflects both the power of Great Lakes storms and the vulnerability of aging wooden freighters. Her wreck remains unlocated, a silent memorial to the sailors lost.