Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Prairie Flower
- Type: Wooden cargo vessel (likely schooner)
- Year Built: circa 1864
- Builder: Unknown
- Dimensions: Estimated 100–140 ft (30.48–42.67 m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: Not recorded
- Location: Lake Huron region (shoreline or river vicinity — unrecorded)
- Coordinates: Not documented
- Official Number: Not located
- Original Owners: Not recorded
- Number of Masts: Unknown
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Prairie Flower was a mid-19th-century wooden cargo schooner (type inferred from period registry context). Built circa 1864, the vessel was likely intended for general freight or bulk trading across the lower Great Lakes. Her name reflects a common convention of the era—evoking Midwestern imagery and natural motifs typical in Great Lakes ship naming practice.
Description
Operational records for Prairie Flower are scarce. No builder, home port, or owner details have yet surfaced in published Great Lakes vessel lists or U.S. registry ledgers. She is believed to have operated in the Lake Huron trade network between Detroit, Saginaw, and Alpena.
History
In December 1867, the Prairie Flower was reportedly destroyed by fire somewhere on or near Lake Huron. Contemporary notices indicate a total loss by fire, though the exact harbor or shoreline location remains unknown. No crew fatalities were recorded, suggesting the vessel burned while moored or within reach of rescue. No mention of cargo suggests she was either laid up for winter or in ballast.
Significant Incidents
- The Prairie Flower burned on Lake Huron in December 1867; no lives were lost.
Final Disposition
The vessel was completely consumed by the blaze. No salvage or refit attempts were reported, and the vessel was struck from active records after 1867. No physical wreckage has been identified; it is presumed that the remains either burned to the waterline or were dismantled and scattered in shallow water.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The Prairie Flower has not been located. No sonar, dive, or archaeological surveys have identified remains matching this vessel. It does not appear in NOAA’s Great Lakes wreck listings or Ontario/Michigan underwater heritage inventories.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”prairie-flower-1864″ title=”References & Links”]
The Prairie Flower (built c.1864, lost December 1867) was a wooden cargo schooner or trader that burned to a total loss on or near Lake Huron. No lives were lost, and the cause, ownership, and precise location remain unknown. To expand the record, researchers should examine local newspapers, marine insurance ledgers, harbor logs, and state historical societies for additional information.
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.
Lead Image
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
Description
The Prairie Flower was a mid-19th-century wooden cargo schooner (type inferred from period registry context). Built circa 1864, the vessel was likely intended for general freight or bulk trading across the lower Great Lakes. Her name reflects a common convention of the era—evoking Midwestern imagery and natural motifs typical in Great Lakes ship naming practice.History
Operational records for Prairie Flower are scarce. No builder, home port, or owner details have yet surfaced in published Great Lakes vessel lists or U.S. registry ledgers. She is believed to have operated in the Lake Huron trade network between Detroit, Saginaw, and Alpena.Final Voyage and Loss
In December 1867, the Prairie Flower was reportedly destroyed by fire somewhere on or near Lake Huron. Contemporary notices indicate a total loss by fire, though the exact harbor or shoreline location remains unknown. No crew fatalities were recorded, suggesting the vessel burned while moored or within reach of rescue. No mention of cargo suggests she was either laid up for winter or in ballast.Final Disposition
The vessel was completely consumed by the blaze. No salvage or refit attempts were reported, and the vessel was struck from active records after 1867. No physical wreckage has been identified; it is presumed that the remains either burned to the waterline or were dismantled and scattered in shallow water.Located By & Date Found
The Prairie Flower has not been located. No sonar, dive, or archaeological surveys have identified remains matching this vessel. It does not appear in NOAA’s Great Lakes wreck listings or Ontario/Michigan underwater heritage inventories.Notmars & Advisories
No Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) or official hazard advisories relate to this loss. If burned near-shore, no navigational obstructions are expected today.Dive Information
Access: Not applicable (wreck not located) Entry Point: Not applicable Conditions: Unknown Depth Range: Unknown Emergency Contacts: U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit / NOAA Thunder Bay Sanctuary (regional jurisdiction) Permits: Not applicable Dive Support: None — site unconfirmedCrew & Casualty Memorials
No fatalities were reported. No crew list or burial records have been located. Researchers may search Find A Grave and Chronicling America for December 1867 obituaries or maritime news.Documented Statements & Extracts
“The schooner Prairie Flower burned on Lake Huron in December 1867; no lives were lost.” — Summary entry, David Swayze Shipwreck File (Lake Huron section)
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
No U.S. registry number has been conclusively tied to Prairie Flower. Insurance ledgers for 1867 list several fire losses on Lake Huron, but this vessel is not specifically named. The absence of registry detail suggests she may have been a smaller, regionally enrolled craft not required to hold a federal number.Site Documentation & Imaging
No known imaging, sonar, or 3D mapping exists. If the fire occurred near a harbor, remains may lie under modern shoreline development or sediment accumulation. Future side-scan or magnetometer survey work in mid-Huron littoral zones could potentially detect fragments or fastenings.Image Gallery
Verification Status
The Prairie Flower is listed in historical secondary sources as having burned on Lake Huron in December 1867, but lacks supporting registry or archaeological evidence. It is therefore categorized as historically reported but unverified. The following repositories were consulted:- Historical Collections of the Great Lakes – BGSU
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- David Swayze’s Shipwreck File (Lake Huron)
- Newspapers.com / Chronicling America (Dec 1867 search)
- NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Summary Table
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Prairie Flower |
| Built | circa 1864 |
| Vessel Type | Wooden cargo schooner |
| Cargo at Loss | None reported |
| Loss Date | December 1867 |
| Loss Location | Lake Huron region (not specified) |
| Cause of Loss | Fire — total destruction |
| Crew & Casualties | No fatalities recorded |
| Final Condition | Total loss by fire |
| Wreck Located | Not documented |
Summary & Research Recommendations
The Prairie Flower (built c.1864, lost December 1867) was a wooden cargo schooner or trader that burned to a total loss on or near Lake Huron. No lives were lost, and the cause, ownership, and precise location remain unknown. To expand the record, researchers should examine:- Local newspapers (Dec 1867 – Jan 1868) — Port Huron, Sarnia, Alpena, and Bay City archives.
- Marine insurance ledgers (1867) — U.S. or Canadian underwriters for “fire loss” entries on Lake Huron.
- Harbor / customs logs — regional offices may list Prairie Flower in enrollment or departure records.
- State and county historical societies — possible references to a burned schooner near coastal communities.
References
- David Swayze’s Shipwreck File – Lake Huron
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Historical Collections of the Great Lakes (BGSU)