Prairie State US 19682

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Prairie State
• Type: Wooden propeller-driven steamer, later converted to a schooner
• Year Built: 1852
• Builder: Stevens & Presley, Ohio City (Cleveland), OH
• Dimensions: 137 ft × 24 ft × 17 ft (41.8 m × 7.3 m × 5.2 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 428
• Location: Near Sand Beach, Michigan, Lake Huron
• Official Number: 19682
• Original Owners: United States (Homeport: Bay City, Michigan)

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Commissioned as a propeller-driven steamer, Prairie State represented early screw-steamer technology when launched in 1852. She was later stripped of steam equipment and converted into a schooner, characteristic of vessels adapting to changing economic demands.

Description

Her dimensions were approximately 137 ft × 24 ft × 17 ft (41.8 m × 7.3 m × 5.2 m), with a tonnage of around 428 last registered.

History

• 1852: Built and launched as a propeller steamer in Cleveland.
• July 1860: Suffered a major fire in Oswego, NY while a Northern Transportation Co. steamer.
• 1860 & 1864: Recorded sinking incidents—once in the Straits (1860), again on Lake Erie in 1864.
• May 1865: Burned again at Oswego.
• Circa 1870s: Steam machinery removed; vessel converted to a wooden schooner and repurposed for lumber hauling.
• October 1877: Capsized in Detroit during storms, raised, and returned to service before final loss in 1879.

Significant Incidents

• Major fire in July 1860 in Oswego, NY.
• Two recorded sinking incidents in 1860 and 1864.
• Burned again in May 1865 at Oswego.
• Capsized in October 1877 in Detroit.

Final Disposition

On November 19, 1879, while laden with lumber entering Lake Huron near Sand Beach, Michigan, she was driven ashore during a severe storm and wrecked. Although USLS records and some newspaper accounts report one fatality, most marine sources list no deaths.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The site has not been formally surveyed or rediscovered. Wreck is believed to rest near Sand Beach but marked remains have not been documented.

Resources & Links

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The vessel’s multiple incidents—from fires in Oswego to capsizing in Detroit—reflect her long and turbulent career before ultimately succumbing to a storm in 1879. Today, Prairie State stands as an example of transitional steam-to-sail craft and resilience during the mid-19th century. Discrepancy remains regarding whether one crew member was lost, but most authoritative sources report no fatalities.