Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Orphan Boy
- Type: Wooden-hulled barkentine
- Year Built: 1862
- Builder: William Jones
- Dimensions: 144 ft × 30.2 ft × 11.7 ft (43.9 × 9.2 × 3.6 m); approx. 482 old-style tons; 365 GRT / 347 NRT
- Registered Tonnage: 365 GRT / 347 NRT
- Location: Grounded on or near Big Sable Point, Lake Michigan
- Official Number: 18919
- Original Owners: D. P. Foster of Cleveland
- Number of Masts: Three masts
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A sizeable three-masted cargo vessel used in lumber transport. The barkentine rig (square sails on foremast, fore-and-aft on main and mizzen) allowed for a mix of performance and handling. She featured a roomy hold ideal for bulk lumber—a trade she was doing at her loss.
Description
The Orphan Boy was a wooden-hulled barkentine, characterized by her three masts and a single deck. She was primarily engaged in the transportation of lumber, which was a significant trade during her operational years.
History
1866–1879: Ownership passed through Cleveland-based interests, with multiple major deck repairs in 1870 and 1876.
1885: Owned by D. P. Foster of Cleveland; engaged in late-season lumber runs across Lake Michigan.
Significant Incidents
- Loss Date: 5 December 1885
- Location: Grounded on or near Big Sable Point, Lake Michigan
- Cause of wreck: Caught in a fierce gale late in the season; sprung ashore and broke apart in surf while laden with green lumber
- Casualties: Reports vary—8 to 12 persons lost (crew and possibly passengers); catastrophic loss of life during the wreck.
- No survivors were documented in primary sources—likely perished in the violent surf conditions.
Final Disposition
The Orphan Boy was lost during a severe storm on December 5, 1885, while carrying green lumber. The vessel grounded on Big Sable Point and broke apart in the surf, leading to a tragic loss of life.
Current Condition & Accessibility
In April 2020, timber fragments and a large wooden windlass washed ashore near Ludington, thought possibly linked to the Orphan Boy’s remains. The wreck zone off Big Sable Point is well known for exposing century-old ship remnants. No formal wreck identification or archaeological survey has confirmed her wreck, but emerging debris may indicate parts of her structure are surfacing.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”orphan-boy-us-18919″ title=”References & Links”]
The Orphan Boy’s sudden destruction in a December gale of 1885 underscored the danger of late-season lumber voyages on Lake Michigan. The significant loss of life—possibly up to a dozen souls—makes this one of the more tragic yet lesser-known wrecks of the era. Although no intact wreck has been formally located, scattered timbers and wreckage continue to wash up near Ludington, hinting at her presence offshore and offering tantalizing clues to her final resting place.
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: Orphan Boy (sometimes referred to as a schooner or barkentine)
- Official number: 18919
- Year built: 1862, at Black River, Ohio by William Jones
- Type: Wooden-hulled barkentine (schooner-rigged with three masts), single deck
- Dimensions: 144 ft × 30.2 ft × 11.7 ft (43.9 × 9.2 × 3.6 m); approx. 482 old-style tons; 365 GRT / 347 NRT
Vessel Type & Description
A sizeable three-masted cargo vessel used in lumber transport. The barkentine rig (square sails on foremast, fore-and-aft on main and mizzen) allowed for a mix of performance and handling. She featured a roomy hold ideal for bulk lumber—a trade she was doing at her loss.
History & Chronology
- 1866–1879: Ownership passed through Cleveland-based interests, with multiple major deck repairs in 1870 and 1876.
- 1885: Owned by D. P. Foster of Cleveland; engaged in late-season lumber runs across Lake Michigan.
Final Disposition
- Date: 5 December 1885
- Location: Grounded on or near Big Sable Point, Lake Michigan
- Cause of wreck: Caught in a fierce gale late in the season; sprung ashore and broke apart in surf while laden with green lumber
- Casualties: Reports vary—8 to 12 persons lost (crew and possibly passengers); catastrophic loss of life during the wreck.
- No survivors were documented in primary sources—likely perished in the violent surf conditions.
Wreck & Discovery Status
- Debris sightings: In April 2020, timber fragments and a large wooden windlass washed ashore near Ludington—and were thought possibly linked to the Orphan Boy’s remains (CBS News, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, WWMT, Reddit, Wikipedia). The wreck zone off Big Sable Point is well known for exposing century-old ship remnants .
- Current status: No formal wreck identification or archaeological survey has confirmed her wreck, but emerging debris may indicate parts of her structure are surfacing.
Notmar & Advisories
- No historic or modern Notices to Mariners reference the wreck.
- The shoreline around Big Sable Point is notorious for hazardous shallow shoals and exposed wreck debris during low water or storms—caution is advised for navigators and beachgoers.
Resources & Links
- Wisconsin Genealogy & Great Lakes History describes her wreck in the December 1885 storm (Links to the Past).
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files includes her name among lost wrecks northeast of Ludington .
- CBS News / WWMT report on newly surfaced wreck timbers likely from Orphan Boy off Ludington (WWMT).
- Smithsonian Magazine notes the wreck site’s tendency to be revealed after storms .
Conclusion
The Orphan Boy’s sudden destruction in a December gale of 1885 underscored the danger of late-season lumber voyages on Lake Michigan. The significant loss of life—possibly up to a dozen souls—makes this one of the more tragic yet lesser-known wrecks of the era. Although no intact wreck has been formally located, scattered timbers and wreckage continue to wash up near Ludington, hinting at her presence offshore and offering tantalizing clues to her final resting place.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary
- Keywords: Orphan Boy, barkentine wreck, Big Sable Point, 1885 storm, lost lives
- Categories: Wooden barkentine wrecks, Lake Michigan maritime disasters, late‑season wrecks
- Glossary:
- Barkentine: Sailing ship with square sails on foremast and fore-and-aft sails on others.
- Green lumber: Freshly cut timber, heavy and prone to shifting in transit.
- Big Sable Point: Prominent sand peninsula north of Ludington, MI—site of frequent wrecks and shifting shoals.