Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Oliver Culver US 18891

Explore the wreck of the Oliver Culver, a three-masted schooner lost in a storm in 1882, located just outside Two Rivers, Wisconsin.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Oliver Culver
  • Type: Schooner
  • Year Built: 1855
  • Builder: D. Rogers, Charlotte (Rochester), New York
  • Dimensions: 140 ft × 26 ft × 11 ft (43 m × 7.9 m × 3.4 m); approx. 450 tons
  • Registered Tonnage: 450 tons
  • Depth at Wreck Site: 3 m / 10 ft
  • Location: Just outside the Two Rivers, Wisconsin harbor entrance
  • Coordinates: Approximately 300 ft northeast of the Two Rivers harbor entrance
  • Official Number: Official No. 18891
  • Original Owners: Unknown
  • Number of Masts: Three-masted

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Three-masted wooden schooner, originally constructed as a bark and later converted to schooner rigging after 1864.

Description

As a 450-ton, 140-foot wooden vessel, the Oliver Culver was built robustly for lumber transport. Though typically used in open-water freighting, she relied heavily on sail power and harbor maneuvering, making her vulnerable in storm conditions.

History

Commissioned in 1855, the Oliver Culver spent nearly three decades engaged in the lumber trade. On December 4, 1882, she attempted departure from Two Rivers harbor but was caught in a fierce storm soon after clearing the harbor entrance. The local lifesaving station had prematurely closed for the winter, delaying rescue efforts. After rounding up the station crew, a lifeboat was dispatched and the schooner’s crew was safely evacuated before the vessel fatally pounded ashore.

Significant Incidents

  • Driven ashore by a severe storm; harbor lifesaving crew unavailable due to seasonal closure.
  • Crew casualties: None reported; crew rescued by lifeboat once station crew returned.

Final Disposition

She was wrecked on the breakwater entrance and remains a total loss. The hull broke apart and was left where she settled in shallow water.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreckage lies approximately 300 ft (90 m) northeast of the Two Rivers harbor entrance in just 7-10 ft (2-3 m) of water. It has been documented in local marine surveys but is seldom dived due to shallow depth and shifting sand.

  • The wreck is visible in calm to moderate conditions, but no formal navigation markers present.
  • Harbor entrance remains hazardous during winter storms; strong breakers and drifting sand can shroud shallow wreckage.
  • Lifesaving station now active year-round, partly due to incidents like this.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”oliver-culver-us-18891″ title=”References & Links”]

The Oliver Culver tragedy highlights the vulnerability of sail-driven lumber schooners navigating during cold-season storms. Although the crew survived, the vessel was lost at the harbor entrance after seasonal lifesaving gaps delayed rescue. Her remains, lying in shallow water just beyond the breakwater, stand as a testament to mid-Great Lakes maritime history and serve as a valuable subject for shallow-water wreck surveys.

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

  • Name: Oliver Culver
  • Former Names: None
  • Registration Number: Official No. 18891 (2manitowoc.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
  • Date Built and Launched: 1855, by D. Rogers, Charlotte (Rochester), New York (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
  • Measurements: 140 ft × 26 ft × 11 ft (43 m × 7.9 m × 3.4 m); approx. 450 tons
  • Date Lost: December 4, 1882 (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
  • Place Lost: Just outside the Two Rivers, Wisconsin harbor entrance, Lake Michigan (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
  • Cause of Loss: Driven ashore by a severe storm; harbor lifesaving crew unavailable due to seasonal closure (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
  • Cargo: Lumber
  • Crew Casualties: None reported; crew rescued by lifeboat once station crew returned

Vessel Type

Three-masted wooden schooner, originally constructed as a bark and later converted to schooner rigging after 1864.

Description

As a 450‑ton, 140‑foot wooden vessel, the Oliver Culver was built robustly for lumber transport. Though typically used in open‑water freighting, she relied heavily on sail power and harbor maneuvering, making her vulnerable in storm conditions.

History

Commissioned in 1855, the Oliver Culver spent nearly three decades engaged in the lumber trade. On December 4, 1882, she attempted departure from Two Rivers harbor but was caught in a fierce storm soon after clearing the harbor entrance. The local lifesaving station had prematurely closed for the winter, delaying rescue efforts. After rounding up the station crew, a lifeboat was dispatched and the schooner’s crew was safely evacuated before the vessel fatally pounded ashore (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com, repository.library.noaa.gov).

Final Disposition

She was wrecked on the breakwater entrance and remains a total loss. The hull broke apart and was left where she settled in shallow water.

Located By & Date Found

The wreckage lies approximately 300 ft (90 m) northeast of the Two Rivers harbor entrance in just 7–10 ft (2–3 m) of water (repository.library.noaa.gov). It has been documented in local marine surveys but is seldom dived due to shallow depth and shifting sand.

Notmars & Advisories

  • The wreck is visible in calm to moderate conditions, but no formal navigation markers present.
  • Harbor entrance remains hazardous during winter storms; strong breakers and drifting sand can shroud shallow wreckage.
  • Lifesaving station now active year-round, partly due to incidents like this.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The Oliver Culver tragedy highlights the vulnerability of sail-driven lumber schooners navigating during cold-season storms. Although the crew survived, the vessel was lost at the harbor entrance after seasonal lifesaving gaps delayed rescue. Her remains, lying in shallow water just beyond the breakwater, stand as a testament to mid‑Great Lakes maritime history and serve as a valuable subject for shallow‑water wreck surveys.

oliver-culver-us-18891 1882-12-04 23:24:00