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 Name: Simcoe
• Official No.: Unknown
• Type: Propeller-driven schooner‑freighter (steel or iron hull likely)
• Date of Loss: 24 November 1880
• Route: Departed Chicago for Collingwood, Ontario
• Loss Location: Lake Huron, en route; sank during a gale at approx. noon on 24 November (location unspecified) (RootsWeb, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Smithsonian Magazine, Links to the Past)
• Cause: Sprang a leak during storm conditions, foundered and sank
• Fatalities: 13 of 21 crew lost (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
• Cargo: Corn and general freight (RootsWeb)

Vessel Type & Description

• Hull Material: Likely metal (propeller vessel of mid‑late 19th century), although exact specs are undocumented.
• Structure: Propeller-driven, steel/iron hull typical of freighters of the era, likely braced for bulk freight including grain.
• Estimated Tonnage/Dimensions: No registry data located; presumed mid‑size Great Lakes freighter.

History & Operational Record

• Service Period: Circa 1872–1880
• Trade: Chicago–Collingwood freight route, carrying agricultural products and general merchandise north bound, returning with lumber or coal.
• Notable Event: Final voyage resulted in disaster.

Incident Overview

• Weather Conditions: Mid-November gale, known for severe Lake Huron autumn storms.
• Timeline: Left Chicago Nov 19, encountered worsening conditions crossing Lake Huron, began taking on water, then foundered around noon on Nov 24 (Links to the Past, greatlakesvesselhistory.com, RootsWeb).
• Casualties: 13 out of 21 crew perished; survivors rescued by other vessels or reached lifeboats.
• Cargo Behavior: Possibly contributed to loss due to shift in rough seas, though leak appears to be mechanical failure.

Final Disposition

• The vessel sank in deep water; no known salvage attempted. Wreck location remains unconfirmed.
• Official registry status: Declared a total loss with no recovery.

Wreck Status & Dive Potential

• Site Condition: Unknown.
• Depth Estimates: Likely deep water of central Lake Huron (50–100+ fathoms), beyond most recreational diving limits.
• Exploration Status: No known archaeological dives or recorded wreck discoveries associated with Simcoe.

Notices, Warnings & Marine Official Records

• No contemporary Notices to Mariners were issued (alerts were rare in 1880).
• A few newspaper reports describe loss and crew rescue, but no official registry reports located yet.

Research Gaps & Suggested Next Steps

• Ontario and Chicago newspaper archives (Nov 1880): Local press likely reported the sinking and rescue details.
• Collingwood shipping and harbor records: May list vessel arrival failures or missing manifest entries.
• Crew lists or casualty records: Ontario or U.S. marine disaster reports from late 1880 could include Simcoe.
• Great Lakes maritime registers (1880 Rice or Bureau Veritas): Might contain vessel build data or ownership.

Resources & References

• “The steamer Simcoe left Chicago bound for Collingwood … sank on Lake Huron during a gale about noon, November 24″ (RootsWeb, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, greatlakesvesselhistory.com, Links to the Past)
• Great Lakes Shipwreck Files entry listing Simcoe, final gale loss, crew 13 of 21 drowned, carrying corn & general freight, bound Chicago–Collingwood (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Keywords & Categories

Lake Huron shipwreck, storm foundering, grain cargo, 19th‑Century freighter, high crew loss, Collingwood trade route.

Summary

The propeller-driven vessel Simcoe foundered during a severe gale on 24 November 1880, while en route from Chicago to Collingwood on Lake Huron. Carrying corn and general freight, she sprung a leak and sank around midday. Thirteen of twenty-one crew members perished. Despite contemporary reporting of the loss, the wreck remains undiscovered. Further archival research in regional newspapers and maritime registries could yield details on her construction, cargo, and crew.

simcoe-1880 1880-11-24 14:53:00