Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Seneca Chief
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1846
- Builder: Buffalo, New York
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: 150 tons
- Location: Manistee, Michigan
- Official Number: Not found in initial registry
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden schooner, approximately 150 tons.
Description
The Seneca Chief was a wooden schooner built in 1846 in Buffalo, New York. It was involved in maritime activities on the Great Lakes.
History
On 8 October 1871, during the Great Fire of 1871, while tied to her dock in Manistee, Michigan, Seneca Chief was consumed by fire, burned down to the water’s edge, and declared a total loss. The vessel was caught in the conflagration that also devastated Manistee’s mills, docks, sawdust piles, and lighthouse, part of a multi-city firestorm across the Upper Midwest on that same day.
Significant Incidents
- On 8 October 1871, the Seneca Chief was burned to the water’s edge during the Great Fire of 1871.
Final Disposition
The burned hulk was left at the dock; remnants likely remained submerged and buried. The schooner was officially declared a total loss, with no further registry activity recorded.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No known surveys or wreck sightings have been reported. As the vessel burned in place, any remains are probably under silt near the old dock area. The location has been rebuilt, so any remains would lie beneath modern dock structures in Manistee’s working waterfront.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”seneca-chief-1846″ title=”References & Links”]
The Seneca Chief, built in 1846, burned to the water’s edge during the Great Michigan/Manistee Fire on 8 October 1871, tied to her dock in Manistee. The vessel was a total loss. No remains are documented, as the site has been redeveloped, but submerged stubs or fragments may still lie beneath the waterfront.
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