Shotline Diving

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Rosabelle (US 21302)

Explore the history of the Rosabelle, a wooden schooner that met its fate in a gale on Lake Michigan in 1921. No physical wreck remains.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Rosabelle
  • Type: 2-masted wooden schooner
  • Year Built: 1863
  • Builder: Leander H. Boole Shipyard
  • Dimensions: Length: 106 ft (32.31 m); Beam: 26 ft (7.92 m); Depth of hold: 6.2 ft (1.89 m)
  • Registered Tonnage: 115 GT
  • Location: Lake Michigan, east of Milwaukee; later drifted to Racine, Wisconsin
  • Coordinates: 42° 45.785′ N / 87° 46.521′ W
  • Official Number: 21302
  • Original Owners: House of David Israelite Colony, High Island / Benton Harbor, Michigan
  • Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Rosabelle was a two-masted wooden schooner, purpose-built for the lumber and bulk cargo trade on the Great Lakes.

Description

Constructed in 1863 by the Leander H. Boole Shipyard in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Rosabelle was designed for the transportation of lumber and general freight. It had a gross tonnage of 115 GT and dimensions of 106 ft in length, 26 ft in beam, and a depth of hold of 6.2 ft.

History

Active in the lumber trade from 1863 until its loss in 1921, the Rosabelle was owned by French and Miller of Milwaukee during its early years. In 1919, it was purchased by the House of David, a religious colony, and continued to operate as a supply schooner for nearly 60 years.

Significant Incidents

  • 30 October 1921: The Rosabelle departed High Island with a cargo of maple lumber but encountered a gale on Lake Michigan.
  • It was found capsized, bottom up, 42 miles east of Milwaukee, with no evidence of collision.
  • The vessel drifted towards Wisconsin and was towed to Racine harbor for salvage.
  • Reports indicate that 9 to 11 crew members were lost, with no bodies recovered.

Final Disposition

After being beached north of Racine’s north pier, the Rosabelle was salvaged for its cargo and hull. By 1922, it was observed stripped of cargo and partially broken. By 1927, only the centerboard box remained visible, and the hull gradually disintegrated or became buried in littoral sands. Today, no known dive site remains as the wreck is likely fully dispersed.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The Rosabelle is not an extant wreck; all structural remains have been removed or decayed in the surf zone. Historical interest focuses on the maritime hazards faced by late-season lumber schooners and the operations of the House of David.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”rosabelle-us-21302″ title=”References & Links”]

The Rosabelle represents a significant chapter in Great Lakes maritime history, illustrating the challenges faced by aging wooden vessels in the early 20th century. As no physical wreck remains, its legacy is preserved through archival research and historical documentation.

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

  • Vessel Type: 2‑masted wooden schooner
  • Built: 1863 by Leander H. Boole Shipyard, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Construction Cost: $4,500
  • Dimensions:
    • Length: 106 ft (32.31 m)
    • Beam: 26 ft (7.92 m)
    • Depth of hold: 6.2 ft (1.89 m)
  • Gross Tonnage: 115 GT
  • Rig: Two‑masted schooner
  • Hull Material: Wood
  • Official Registry Number: 21302
  • Rated: B2 in the 1881 Directory of Marine Interests of the Great Lakes
  • Location of Loss: Lake Michigan, east of Milwaukee; later drifted to Racine, Wisconsin
    • Coordinates (beached wreck site): 42° 45.785′ N / 87° 46.521′ W
  • Water Depth: 0 ft (beached and salvaged; not a submerged wreck)

Vessel Type & Service

  • Purpose-built for lumber and bulk cargo trade on the Great Lakes.
  • Operated for 58 years in lumber and general freight.
  • Final owner: House of David Israelite Colony, High Island / Benton Harbor, Michigan.
    • Vessel used for supply runs to High Island, a religious colony in Lake Michigan.

Cargo

  • Final cargo: Lumber (maple), estimated at full capacity for transit from High Island to Benton Harbor.

History

  • 1863–1880s: Active in the lumber trade; owned by French and Miller of Milwaukee.
  • Late 19th century: Routine service hauling timber and general cargo.
  • 1919: Purchased by the House of David, a religious colony noted for operating island and lakeshore properties.
  • 1921: Continued use as a supply schooner despite being nearly 60 years old.

Final Voyage

  • Date of loss: 30 October 1921
  • Route: High Island → Benton Harbor, Michigan
  • Event:
    1. Departed with maple lumber cargo.
    2. Encountered a gale on Lake Michigan.
    3. Found capsized, bottom up, 42 miles east of Milwaukee; yawl boat missing.
    4. No collision evidence, per U.S. Coast Guard investigation.
    5. Drifted toward Wisconsin; towed to Racine harbor by the Cumberland.
    6. Beached north of Racine’s north pier for salvage of the cargo and hull.
  • Casualties:
    • Reports vary: 9–11 crew lost, none recovered.
    • Crew presumed drowned; names not fully documented in contemporary press.

Casualty & Memorial Notes

  • No bodies were ever recovered.
  • Local newspapers in Racine, Kenosha, and Milwaukee reported the tragedy.
  • Potential next-step archival research:
    • Racine Journal News (Oct–Nov 1921)
    • Milwaukee Sentinel / Journal maritime columns
    • Benton Harbor News-Palladium casualty reports
    • Coast Guard Marine Casualty Files, 1921 (National Archives, Chicago branch)

Salvage & Disposition

  • Purchased by H & M Body Corp. for lumber salvage.
  • Hull beached ~100 ft offshore north of Racine’s north pier.
  • 1922: Observed stripped of cargo and partially broken.
  • 1927: Only the centerboard box remained visible; hull gradually disintegrated or buried in littoral sands.
  • Present Day: Likely fully dispersed; no known dive site remains.

Today / Archaeology

  • The Rosabelle is not an extant wreck; all structural remains were removed or decayed in the surf zone.
  • Historical interest focuses on:
    1. Maritime hazards of late-season lumber schooners.
    2. House of David maritime operations.
    3. High Island–Benton Harbor trade network.

Notmars & Advisories

  • No formal Notices to Mariners were issued beyond initial wreck reports, as the vessel was beached quickly and salvaged.

Resources & Archival Links

Conclusion

The Rosabelle was a quintessential Great Lakes lumber schooner, surviving nearly six decades before succumbing to a 1921 gale. Her loss reflects the hazards faced by aging wooden sail craft still in service on Lake Michigan in the early 20th century.

As no physical wreck remains, her significance is historical and documentary rather than archaeological. Archival research offers the only path to reconstructing her crew roster and casualty list for memorialization.

Keywords / Categories

Region: Lake Michigan – Racine, WI
Type: Wooden 2‑masted schooner
Cause of loss: Capsize in gale
Period: 1863–1921
Casualties: 9–11 (unrecovered)
Dive potential: None – wreck dispersed

rosabelle-us-21302 1921-10-30 01:38:00