Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Peoria
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1854
- Builder:
- Dimensions:
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Near Bailey’s Harbor, Lake Michigan
- Original Owners: Not specifically recorded
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Peoria was a wooden schooner, a common workhorse on the Great Lakes, designed for the bulk carriage of cargoes like lumber, grain, and coal. Schooners of this era were robust and efficient under sail power, often trading between Michigan’s lumber ports and major city markets such as Chicago.
Description
Launched in 1854, the Peoria had nearly five decades of service on the lakes, carrying a variety of cargoes, primarily lumber. Like many schooners, she would have seen repeated groundings, repairs, and seasonal overhauls over her long working life.
History
On 12 November 1901, the Peoria was bound from East Jordan, Michigan to Chicago with a load of hardwood lumber when she encountered a severe late-autumn gale on Lake Michigan. Unable to maintain her course, she was driven ashore near Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin.
Significant Incidents
- The Peoria was pounded by waves after grounding and broke up, becoming a total loss.
- The entire crew was successfully rescued by the Bailey’s Harbor Lifesaving Station.
- No cargo salvage was recorded, and the vessel was considered unsalvageable.
Final Disposition
The schooner was pounded by waves after grounding and broke up, becoming a total loss. Fortunately, the Bailey’s Harbor Lifesaving Station successfully rescued the entire crew. No cargo salvage was recorded, and the vessel was considered unsalvageable.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The exact condition of any remains is unknown. Given the violent destruction in shallow surf and 120+ years of exposure, any structure would be minimal and buried in shifting sand near the shore.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”peoria-1854″ title=”References & Links”]
The Peoria is an example of a classic Lake Michigan lumber schooner lost to the fierce storms of November, a common hazard for late-season shipping on the Great Lakes. While the vessel was destroyed, the safe rescue of her crew by the Bailey’s Harbor Lifesaving Station stands out as a testament to early lifesaving services on the Great Lakes.
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: Peoria
- Year Built: 1854
- Type: Schooner
- Hull Material: Wood
- Owner: Not specifically recorded
- Final Resting Place: Near Bailey’s Harbor, Lake Michigan
- Date of Loss: 12 November 1901
- Cargo at Time of Loss: Hardwood lumber
- Crew Casualties: None reported; crew rescued
Vessel Type Description
The Peoria was a wooden schooner, a common workhorse on the Great Lakes, designed for the bulk carriage of cargoes like lumber, grain, and coal. Schooners of this era were robust and efficient under sail power, often trading between Michigan’s lumber ports and major city markets such as Chicago.
History
Launched in 1854, the Peoria had nearly five decades of service on the lakes, carrying a variety of cargoes, primarily lumber. Like many schooners, she would have seen repeated groundings, repairs, and seasonal overhauls over her long working life.
On 12 November 1901, the Peoria was bound from East Jordan, Michigan to Chicago with a load of hardwood lumber when she encountered a severe late-autumn gale on Lake Michigan. Unable to maintain her course, she was driven ashore near Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin.
Final Disposition
The schooner was pounded by waves after grounding and broke up, becoming a total loss. Fortunately, the Bailey’s Harbor Lifesaving Station successfully rescued the entire crew. No cargo salvage was recorded, and the vessel was considered unsalvageable.
Located By & Date
There is no modern diver or survey documentation confirming the remains of the Peoria. Given its wooden construction and the destructive pounding of surf, the wreck is likely scattered or buried offshore near Bailey’s Harbor.
Notmars & Advisories
No current Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) reference hazards at the Peoria‘s loss site.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The exact condition of any remains is unknown. Given the violent destruction in shallow surf and 120+ years of exposure, any structure would be minimal and buried in shifting sand near the shore.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Vessels Index (BGSU)
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Conclusion
The Peoria is an example of a classic Lake Michigan lumber schooner lost to the fierce storms of November, a common hazard for late-season shipping on the Great Lakes. While the vessel was destroyed, the safe rescue of her crew by the Bailey’s Harbor Lifesaving Station stands out as a testament to early lifesaving services on the Great Lakes.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
Peoria, schooner, Lake Michigan shipwreck, lumber cargo, November storm, 19th-century shipping, Bailey’s Harbor Lifesaving Station, Great Lakes rescue
If you’d like, I can help dig into the Bailey’s Harbor Lifesaving Station reports for first-hand rescue accounts — just say yes!
peoria-1854 1901-11-12 14:45:00