Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Ontonagon
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1856
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: St. Clair River area, Canadian side
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Type: Great Lakes lumber schooner–barge
Registry: U.S., home-port unspecified but operated widely between Lake Superior and Lake Huron timber ports
Description
Ontonagon was a wooden schooner built in 1856, primarily used in the lumber trade across the Great Lakes.
History
The Ontonagon represents a class of mid-19th-century wooden schooners that played a significant role in the lumber industry. The vessel was involved in transporting timber between various ports on Lake Superior and Lake Huron.
Significant Incidents
- Loss Circumstances: On September 25, 1883, during a gale on Lake Huron, the Ontonagon caught fire while carrying a likely cargo of lumber. To save the crew, the captain intentionally ran the vessel ashore on the Canadian side of the St. Clair River.
- Outcome: The vessel burned down to the waterline and sank where it lay. Fortunately, no crew members were lost during the incident.
Final Disposition
The Ontonagon was refloated on December 7, 1883, and subsequently towed away. It is believed that her remains were either broken apart or removed, with possible hull fragments still buried under sediment near the grounding site.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The current condition of the wreck site is undocumented, but there may be potential buried remains near the Canadian shoreline where the vessel was grounded.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”ontonagon-1856″ title=”References & Links”]
The Ontonagon serves as an important historical example of life-saving grounding practices in the maritime context of the Great Lakes, highlighting cooperative efforts between the U.S. and Canada to protect lives during maritime emergencies.
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.
Schooner Ontonagon (U.S. registry, built 1856, lost September 25, 1883)
Identification & Build
- Name: Ontonagon
- Built: 1856, wooden schooner
- Type: Great Lakes lumber schooner–barge
- Registry: U.S., home-port unspecified but operated widely between Lake Superior and Lake Huron timber ports
Final Voyage & Loss (September 25, 1883)
- Date of Incident: Late September 1883 during a Lake Huron gale
- Cargo: Likely lumber; she caught on fire onboard
- Action Taken: To save the lives of her crew, she was run ashore on the Canadian side of the river system (St. Clair River area)
- Outcome: The vessel was permitted to burn down to the waterline, then sank where she lay; no crew were lost during the incident (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Wikipedia, Wikipedia, Wikipedia, Wikipedia)
Wreck Site & Condition
- Refloated on December 7, 1883 and subsequently towed away; her remains were likely broken apart or removed (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Possible hull fragments may still be buried under sediment near the Canadian shoreline where she was grounded
Historical & Maritime Significance
- Ontonagon represents a class of mid‑19th-century wooden schooners active in the lumber trade
- The incident is an early example of intentional grounding and scuttling to protect crew lives during onboard fires
- Demonstrates cooperative cross-border maritime practices—U.S.-built vessel intentionally run ashore in Canada to avert loss of life
Research & Archaeological Opportunities
| Research Focus | Actions Recommended |
|---|---|
| Archival Records & Cargo Manifests | Search U.S. and Canadian registry files (1856–1883) to find build details and cargo logs |
| Newspaper Reports | Investigate Sarnia Observer, Chatham Daily News, and Michigan local presses in late 1883 for fire and grounding reports |
| Lifesaving Station Logs | Review Canadian lifesaving and harbor patrol reports for crew rescue and fire management documentation |
| Survey of Scuttled Site | Conduct side-scan sonar and magnetometer surveys near the 1883 grounding area to locate submerged wreck remnants |
| Comparative Case Study | Compare with similar incidents like Palestine, which was reported to be grounded at the same time with similar compass errors (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Wikipedia, Wikipedia, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Wikipedia) |
Summary Overview
- Vessel: Ontonagon, built 1856
- Lost: September 25, 1883 – fire onboard, intentionally grounded in Canada, sank after burning
- Crew: Survived (no lives lost)
- Wreck: Refloated December 1883; remains likely removed or scattered
- Condition: Potential buried remains; site undocumented
- Significance: Example of life-saving grounding in cross-border context; part of 19th-century lumber fleet heritage