Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Pensaukee
- Type: Wooden schooner-barge
- Year Built: 1875
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Cuyahoga River, Cleveland, Ohio, Lake Erie watershed
- Original Owners: Not conclusively recorded
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Pensaukee was a wooden schooner-barge, a sailing vessel converted for tow work. These were common on the Great Lakes after 1870, providing economical transport of bulk cargoes under tow by steam tugs.
Description
Built of heavy oak frames and pine planking, Pensaukee had a broad beam, shallow draft, and a large cargo hold suitable for iron ore, coal, or lumber. Converted to barge service, she would have retained masts for stability and limited sailing ability.
History
Launched in 1875, Pensaukee operated for several decades in the Great Lakes trades. In September 1885, she was reported waterlogged in a severe storm near Sand Beach, Michigan (now known as Harbor Beach, MI). To prevent total sinking, her crew scuttled her in shallow water to save the hull. She was later recovered, refloated, and put back into service.
Her final loss came on 5 June 1902 in Cleveland, Ohio. While under tow in the Cuyahoga River by the tug Lutz, the towline of another barge, Aurora, parted while rounding a bend. Out of control, Aurora rammed the Pensaukee, severely damaging her. The collision caused catastrophic flooding, and Pensaukee sank at the scene. She was declared a total loss. No lives were reported lost.
Significant Incidents
- September 1885: Reported waterlogged in a severe storm near Sand Beach, Michigan; crew scuttled her to save the hull.
- 5 June 1902: Collided with the barge Aurora in the Cuyahoga River, leading to catastrophic flooding and sinking.
Final Disposition
Declared a constructive total loss after the 1902 collision in the Cuyahoga River. No salvage or return to service documented.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern archaeological survey or diver documentation has confirmed remains of Pensaukee in the Cuyahoga.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”pensaukee-1875″ title=”References & Links”]
The Pensaukee‘s repeated hardships — scuttled to save her in 1885, then lost permanently to a collision in 1902 — show the risks faced by schooner-barges navigating both open lake storms and crowded industrial rivers. Her service life demonstrates how such vessels were kept in use for decades despite repeated accidents, reflecting the economic pressures of Great Lakes commerce.
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
- Vessel Name: Pensaukee
- Type: Wooden schooner-barge
- Year built and launched: 1875
- Owner: Not conclusively recorded
- Cargo: Unknown at time of final loss
- Date lost: 5 June 1902
- Location: Cuyahoga River, Cleveland, Ohio, Lake Erie watershed
- Crew: No fatalities reported
Vessel Type
The Pensaukee was a wooden schooner-barge, a sailing vessel converted for tow work. These were common on the Great Lakes after 1870, providing economical transport of bulk cargoes under tow by steam tugs.
Description
Built of heavy oak frames and pine planking, Pensaukee had a broad beam, shallow draft, and a large cargo hold suitable for iron ore, coal, or lumber. Converted to barge service, she would have retained masts for stability and limited sailing ability.
History
Launched in 1875, Pensaukee operated for several decades in the Great Lakes trades. In September 1885, she was reported waterlogged in a severe storm near Sand Beach, Michigan (now known as Harbor Beach, MI). To prevent total sinking, her crew scuttled her in shallow water to save the hull. She was later recovered, refloated, and put back into service.
Her final loss came on 5 June 1902 in Cleveland, Ohio. While under tow in the Cuyahoga River by the tug Lutz, the towline of another barge, Aurora, parted while rounding a bend. Out of control, Aurora rammed the Pensaukee, severely damaging her. The collision caused catastrophic flooding, and Pensaukee sank at the scene. She was declared a total loss. No lives were reported lost.
Final Dispositions
Declared a constructive total loss after the 1902 collision in the Cuyahoga River. No salvage or return to service documented.
Located By & Date Found
No modern archaeological survey or diver documentation has confirmed remains of Pensaukee in the Cuyahoga.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Vessels Index (BGSU)
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
Conclusion
The Pensaukee‘s repeated hardships — scuttled to save her in 1885, then lost permanently to a collision in 1902 — show the risks faced by schooner-barges navigating both open lake storms and crowded industrial rivers. Her service life demonstrates how such vessels were kept in use for decades despite repeated accidents, reflecting the economic pressures of Great Lakes commerce.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Schooner-barge
- Wooden barge
- Collision
- Great Lakes
- Lake Erie
- Cuyahoga River
- Harbor Beach
- Tow traffic
- 19th-century shipping
- Maritime history