Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Sheboygan
- Type: Wooden Sidewheel Steamer
- Year Built: 1869
- Builder: Greenleaf S. Rand, Manitowoc, WI
- Dimensions: 208 ft (63.4 m) x 32 ft (9.8 m) x 12 ft (3.7 m)
- Registered Tonnage: Unknown
- Location: One mile north of Manitowoc Harbor Piers, Lake Michigan
- Coordinates: Unknown
- Official Number: Unknown
- Original Owners: Goodrich Transit Company
- Number of Masts: None
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Sheboygan was a wooden sidewheel passenger and freight steamer designed for cross-lake service on Lake Michigan.
Description
The Sheboygan was a 208-foot wooden sidewheel passenger and freight steamer designed for cross-lake service on Lake Michigan. Built in 1869, she featured a reused steam engine with a long pedigree dating back to 1853. Her shallow draft and wide beam made her ideal for coastal transport in Great Lakes waters. She was the first steamer built specifically for the Goodrich Transit Company.
History
The Sheboygan served with distinction for over four decades, primarily on Lake Michigan, providing reliable service for passengers and freight. After being retired from active passenger duty in 1912, she remained in reserve. In 1913, while temporarily reactivated, she collided with the Iowa in the Chicago River, causing the latter to sink. Minor damage to Sheboygan and the firing of both captains followed.
By 1914, the vessel was condemned by U.S. inspectors and sold for scrap. Her dismantling occurred at Manitowoc Iron and Metal Co., where all valuable materials were removed before a ceremonial scuttling.
Significant Incidents
- Collision with the Iowa in 1913, resulting in the sinking of the Iowa.
Final Disposition
On September 25, 1914, the stripped hull of the Sheboygan was towed by the tug Arctic to a position one mile north of Manitowoc Harbor. Before a crowd including the Goodrich Company’s president and general manager, she was set ablaze and burned to the waterline in a maritime funeral rite. No remains were preserved.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No wreck site has been discovered. Ash debris presumably dispersed or settled in shallow lake waters.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”sheyboygan” title=”References & Links”]
Access to the Sheboygan wreck site is not possible as it was ceremonially burned and no remains exist. The area is not a navigational hazard.
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