Progress – Lake Michigan Barge Shipwreck (1921)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Progress
• Type: 4-masted wooden bulk freight barge (converted from a steamer hull)
• Year Built: 1880
• Builder: Wolf & Davidson Shipyard
• Dimensions: 248 ft (75.59 m) L × 37.5 ft (11.43 m) B × 14 ft (4.27 m) D (original); modified in 1910: shortened by 7 ft and depth reduced by 6 ft (1.83 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 844 GT
• Location: Abandoned off Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Coordinates: Approx. position: 42° 59.815′ N / 87° 47.776′ W (reported site, unconfirmed)
• Official Number: U.S. #150205
• Original Owners: Ralph Kilcore, Buffalo, New York (final owner)
• Number of Masts: 4

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

• Began as a wooden bulk freighter for the lumber and lake cargo trade.
• Converted to a crane-equipped bulk freight barge (1908) for Edward Gillen Dock & Dredge Company, Racine.
• Designed for construction, harbor work, and heavy cargo handling, including 1,000,000 board feet of lumber capacity.
• Propulsion removed post-conversion; barge operated under tow.

Description

• 4-masted schooner-barge hull; wooden construction.
• Notable for barge conversion with onboard crane, enabling self-loading/unloading.
• Hull modifications in 1910 reduced draft and displacement, indicating adaptation for harbor construction work and lighter towing.

History

• 1880–1908 – Operated as a wooden bulk freighter on Lake Michigan and connecting waters.
• 1904 – Stranded in Green Bay; salvaged and returned to service.
• 1908–1910 – Converted to floating crane barge at Edward Gillen Dock & Construction Company (Racine, WI).
• Final owner: Ralph Kilcore, Buffalo, New York.
• 1920s – Hull condition deteriorated; deemed unfit for further repair.

Significant Incidents

• 1921–1927: Vessel reported abandoned off Milwaukee, WI, per Greenwood (1984:131): “By mid-1921 the condition of this vessel (the Progress) was such that further operation appeared unsafe and further repair was not economical. Therefore, it was abandoned to rot and sink off Milwaukee, Wisconsin in Lake Michigan.”
• No lives lost.
• Wreck has not been confirmed or located; believed to have rotted and sunk in nearshore waters.

Final Disposition

• Not located.
• No known sonar, diver, or ROV surveys have identified the wreck.
• Status: “Presumed extant but unconfirmed.”

Current Condition & Accessibility

• No known hazard notices issued.
• Vessel was abandoned in shallow waters—likely visible or awash initially, eventually submerged or broken up.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”progress-us-150205″ title=”References & Links”]

The Progress represents the late career of Great Lakes wooden freighters, which were often repurposed as barges in the early 20th century. Her conversion to a floating crane barge reflects the trend of extending service life by shifting from self-propelled cargo runs to harbor construction and dredging support.

The absence of a confirmed wreck site leaves Progress a candidate for nearshore survey. If remnants are located, they would offer insights into barge conversion practices and late wooden hull degradation in the Great Lakes.