Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Plymouth Rock
- Type: Schooner (later converted to barge)
- Year Built: 1852
- Builder: A. Miller
- Dimensions: Length: 116 ft (35.4 m); Beam: 24.7 ft (7.5 m); Depth: 11.1 ft (3.4 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 243 tons (original); 293 tons (1860); 301 tons (after 1862 rebuild); 226.78 gross tons (1865)
- Depth at Wreck Site: 3.4 m / 11.1 ft
- Location: Detroit, MI
- Official Number: 19768
- Original Owners: Williams & Town; Baldwin & Johnson; J. Jenkins; Goodrich Transportation Co.; R.J. Hackett et al; Western Transportation Co.; C.E. Woodruff
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Plymouth Rock was built as a two-masted wooden schooner, typical of mid-19th century Great Lakes bulk carriers, hauling grain, lumber, and general cargo between Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and Lake Michigan ports.
Description
Originally designed as a package freighter, Plymouth Rock was rebuilt several times during its working life. The vessel transitioned from a schooner to an unrigged barge by the 1880s, illustrating the trend of repurposing aging sailing vessels for steam-powered towing.
History
Launched in 1852 at Oswego, NY, Plymouth Rock began her career in the grain and lumber trade across the lakes.
Key historical milestones:
- 1858, May – Sprang a leak on Lake Erie, repaired at Detroit
- 1858, Sep – Ashore at Presque Isle, Lake Huron
- 1860 – Registered to Williams & Town, Oswego, remeasured to 293 tons
- 1862 – Rebuilt, increasing capacity to 301 tons
- 1863 – Owned by Baldwin & Johnson, Oswego
- 1865 – Owned by J. Jenkins, Oswego
- 1868 – Ownership transferred to Milwaukee, WI
- 1869 – Reported stranded
- 1870 – Converted to barge
- 1871 – Owned by Goodrich Transportation Co., Chicago
- 1871, Mar 24 – Ownership to R.J. Hackett et al, Detroit
- 1876 – Owned by Western Transportation Co.
- 1881, Sep 17 – Owned by C.E. Woodruff, St. Clair, MI, rebuilt as 116 ft barge
- 1884 – Burned at the dock in Detroit, hull later rebuilt to an unrigged barge
The Plymouth Rock had a lengthy and eventful service life, changing hands and undergoing repeated rebuilds, demonstrating the working ship’s typical pattern of hard use and constant adaptation.
Significant Incidents
- 1858: Sprang a leak on Lake Erie, repaired at Detroit.
- 1858: Ashore at Presque Isle, Lake Huron.
- 1869: Reported stranded.
- 1884: Burned at the dock in Detroit.
Final Disposition
- Final Location: Burned at dock, Detroit, MI in 1884
- Fate: Hull rebuilt as an unrigged barge following fire
Current Condition & Accessibility
No current survey or archaeological location noted.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”plymouth-rock-1852″ title=”References & Links”]
The Plymouth Rock illustrates the life cycle of a 19th-century Great Lakes schooner, transitioning through owners, rebuilds, and conversions before ending its days as a burned and rebuilt barge. Its shifting measurements and multiple incidents — leaks, strandings, and fire — are typical of the era’s commercial wooden vessels.
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: Plymouth Rock
- Official Number: 19768
- Year Built: 1852
- Built at: Oswego, New York
- Vessel Type: Schooner (later converted to barge)
- Hull Material: Wood
- Number of Decks: 1
- Builder: A. Miller
- Number of Masts: 2
- Propulsion: Sail (originally schooner rig)
- Hull Dimensions
- Tonnage (old style):
- 243 tons (original)
- 293 tons (1860)
- 301 tons (after 1862 rebuild)
- 226.78 gross tons (1865)
- Dimensions after 1881 rebuild:
- Length: 116 ft (35.4 m)
- Beam: 24.7 ft (7.5 m)
- Depth: 11.1 ft (3.4 m)
Vessel Type
The Plymouth Rock was built as a two-masted wooden schooner, typical of mid-19th century Great Lakes bulk carriers, hauling grain, lumber, and general cargo between Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and Lake Michigan ports.
Description
Originally designed as a package freighter, Plymouth Rock was rebuilt several times during its working life. The vessel transitioned from a schooner to an unrigged barge by the 1880s, illustrating the trend of repurposing aging sailing vessels for steam-powered towing.
History
Launched in 1852 at Oswego, NY, Plymouth Rock began her career in the grain and lumber trade across the lakes.
Key historical milestones:
- 1858, May – Sprang a leak on Lake Erie, repaired at Detroit
- 1858, Sep – Ashore at Presque Isle, Lake Huron
- 1860 – Registered to Williams & Town, Oswego, remeasured to 293 tons
- 1862 – Rebuilt, increasing capacity to 301 tons
- 1863 – Owned by Baldwin & Johnson, Oswego
- 1865 – Owned by J. Jenkins, Oswego
- 1868 – Ownership transferred to Milwaukee, WI
- 1869 – Reported stranded
- 1870 – Converted to barge
- 1871 – Owned by Goodrich Transportation Co., Chicago
- 1871, Mar 24 – Ownership to R.J. Hackett et al, Detroit
- 1876 – Owned by Western Transportation Co.
- 1881, Sep 17 – Owned by C.E. Woodruff, St. Clair, MI, rebuilt as 116 ft barge
- 1884 – Burned at the dock in Detroit, hull later rebuilt to an unrigged barge
The Plymouth Rock had a lengthy and eventful service life, changing hands and undergoing repeated rebuilds, demonstrating the working ship’s typical pattern of hard use and constant adaptation.
Final Disposition
- Final Location: Burned at dock, Detroit, MI in 1884
- Fate: Hull rebuilt as an unrigged barge following fire
Located By & Date
No current survey or archaeological location noted.
Notmars & Advisories
None recorded.
Resources & Links
Conclusion
The Plymouth Rock illustrates the life cycle of a 19th-century Great Lakes schooner, transitioning through owners, rebuilds, and conversions before ending its days as a burned and rebuilt barge. Its shifting measurements and multiple incidents — leaks, strandings, and fire — are typical of the era’s commercial wooden vessels.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Wooden schooner
- Barge conversion
- 19th century Great Lakes
- Fire casualty
- Sailing vessel
- Oswego shipbuilding
- Detroit maritime history