Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Seneca
- Type: Wooden brig or two-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1846
- Builder: Unknown yard, Oswego, New York
- Dimensions: Approx. 230 tons burthen (~30 m length est.)
- Registered Tonnage: 230 tons
- Location: St. Joseph, Michigan, or Kalamazoo River mouth, Lake Michigan
- Coordinates: Not documented
- Official Number: Not recorded
- Original Owners: Not documented
- Number of Masts: Two masts
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Seneca was a wooden brig or schooner, typical of timber carriers launched in the mid-19th century on the Great Lakes. With an estimated burden of 230 tons, she was rigged for two masts and optimized for seasonal timber cargoes. Her construction at Oswego in 1846 placed her within the early expansion era of wooden bulk carriers on the inland seas.
Description
The Seneca was a wooden brig or schooner, typical of timber carriers launched in the mid-19th century on the Great Lakes. With an estimated burden of 230 tons, she was rigged for two masts and optimized for seasonal timber cargoes. Her construction at Oswego in 1846 placed her within the early expansion era of wooden bulk carriers on the inland seas.
History
Throughout her working life, the Seneca was engaged in lake-wide timber transport. Specific ownership records are not currently documented, and her enrollment has not been traced in official registry archives. She was likely a contract carrier for regional lumber concerns operating out of Lake Michigan and Lake Erie ports.
On her final voyage in September 1856, she carried a deck load of timber bound for markets on southern Lake Michigan. Reports differ whether she stranded directly at St. Joseph, Michigan, or at the mouth of the Kalamazoo River nearby. The incident occurred during a gale on 18 September 1856, which drove the vessel ashore.
Significant Incidents
- The Seneca went ashore during a gale on 18 September 1856.
- Contemporary reports state that Seneca “split wide open” upon stranding.
Final Disposition
Contemporary reports state that Seneca “split wide open” upon stranding. No effort was made to refloat or salvage her hull. The vessel was declared a total loss, and insurance files estimated her value at US $7,200 at the time.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck was visible upon stranding in 1856. No archaeological rediscovery has been documented, and no known remains are recorded in state or NOAA wreck files.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”seneca-1846″ title=”References & Links”]
No dive site is associated with Seneca. The wreck was destroyed at the shoreline in 1856, and no remains are reported.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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