Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Plymouth (1854)

Explore the lost vessel Plymouth, a former steamer turned barge, vanished during the Great Storm of 1913 with all hands aboard.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Plymouth
  • Type: Schooner-barge
  • Year Built: 1854
  • Builder: Stephenson & Lafrinier, Ohio City, OH
  • Dimensions: ~213 ft × 32 ft × 12 ft; ~846 gross tons
  • Registered Tonnage: ~846 gross tons
  • Location: Gull Island area, Lake Michigan
  • Original Owners: Sternberg & Co., Western Transp. Co., Scott Lumber Co., etc.
  • Number of Masts: Three-masted

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Originally a steam-powered cargo vessel later converted into a three-masted schooner-barge.

Description

The Plymouth was built in 1854 and served various owners throughout her career. She was converted to a sail-only barge in 1884 and was known for transporting lumber, including a notable shipment of approximately 100,000 cedar posts in 1912.

History

Throughout her operational years from 1854 to 1913, the Plymouth changed ownership multiple times, serving under companies such as Sternberg & Co., Western Transportation Company, and Scott Lumber Company. Her conversion to a barge allowed her to continue operating in the lumber trade until her final voyage.

Significant Incidents

  • Date of loss: November 11, 1913.
  • Under tow by: Tug James H. Martin from Menominee, MI, heading to Lake Huron.
  • Storm action: During the Great Lakes Storm of 1913, the tug sought shelter, cut the towline, and abandoned the Plymouth.
  • Disappearance & fate: The Plymouth vanished with all seven crew members aboard. A bottled note from Deputy Marshal Chris Keenan indicated they had been anchored for 40 hours before disappearing.

Final Disposition

The Plymouth is part of the Great Lakes Storm of 1913, which claimed her and her crew. Despite extensive searches, the wreck has never been found, making it one of three vessels lost during that storm that remain unlocated.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck of the Plymouth remains unlocated, with potential search areas identified near Gull Island and Poverty Island in northern Lake Michigan. The vessel’s fate continues to intrigue maritime historians and underwater explorers.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”plymouth-1854″ title=”References & Links”]

The Plymouth serves as a poignant reminder of the dangers faced by mariners on the Great Lakes. Her disappearance during the Great Storm of 1913, along with the loss of her crew, highlights the power of nature and the ongoing quest to uncover the mysteries of the deep.

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.

Identification & Build Details

  • Type: Originally a steam-powered cargo vessel later converted into a three-masted schooner‑barge
  • Built: 1854 by Stephenson & Lafrinier, Ohio City, OH
  • Dimensions: ~213 ft × 32 ft × 12 ft; ~846 gross tons (Wikipedia)

Ownership & Career

  • Served under multiple owners (Sternberg & Co., Western Transp. Co., Scott Lumber Co., etc.) between 1854–1913 (Wikipedia)
  • Converted to sail‑only barge in 1884 and carried lumber—famously transporting ~100,000 cedar posts in 1912 (Wikipedia)

Final Voyage & Loss During the “Big Storm” (Nov 1913)

  • Date of loss: November 11, 1913
  • Under tow by: Tug James H. Martin from Menominee, MI, heading to Lake Huron (Wikipedia)
  • Storm action: During the Great Lakes Storm of 1913 (Nov 7–10), the tug sought shelter in the lee of St. Martin’s (Gull) Island, cutting the towline and abandoning the Plymouth (Wikipedia)
  • Disappearance & fate: Plymouth vanished. A bottled note from Deputy Marshal Chris Keenan (found near Pentwater, MI) recounted 40 hours anchored in the storm, then disappearance of the vessel with all seven aboard (Wikipedia)

Casualties & Aftermath

  • Lost: All 7 crew members aboard (dlab @ EPFL)
  • Message in a bottle: “We were left up here… lost one man yesterday… we have been out in storm forty hours…” signed “Chris K.” (dlab @ EPFL)
  • Wreck has never been found—searches discovered other wrecks like Erastus Corning, but not Plymouth (Wikipedia)

Wreck Status & Significance

  • Part of the Great Lakes Storm of 1913, losing her crew and bunkered near Gull Island in Lake Michigan (Wikipedia)
  • One of three lost vessels yet to be located from that storm (goderich.ca)
  • Wreck remains unlocated—potential candidate for sonar/dive recon in northern Lake Michigan near Gull/Gull Island or Poverty Island areas

Recommended Research & Exploration

  • Review U.S. Lifesaving Service and Coast Guard archives for additional survivor accounts or location clues
  • Analyze nautical charting around Gull Island and northern Green Bay for likely anchorage depths
  • Launch a targeted sonar survey or ROV search in waters off Gull Island and Poverty Island
  • Explore contemporary press coverage from Menominee, Milwaukee, and Green Bay papers (Nov 1913) for eyewitness notes

Summary

The Plymouth was a sturdy 59‑year‑old former steamer turned lumber‑carrying barge lost with all aboard during the catastrophic Great Storm of November 1913. After being abandoned by her tug at Gull Island, she disappeared into Lake Michigan, leaving only a poignant bottled message behind. Her posterity endures in maritime lore—a poignant reminder of nature’s might and an open challenge to underwater explorers seeking her final resting place.

plymouth-1854 1913-10-11 11:39:00