Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Siskawit
• Type: Schooner
• Year Built: circa 1839
• Builder: American Fur Company, LaPointe, Wisconsin
• Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
• Registered Tonnage: 37.36 tons
• Location: Mouth of Chocolay River, Lake Superior, Michigan
• Coordinates: View on Google Maps
• Original Owners: American Fur Company
• Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

A small, two-masted wooden schooner used primarily for regional supply and cargo service, especially servicing the upper Lake Superior fur trade and early settler communities.

Description

Built around 1839 by the American Fur Company at LaPointe, Wisconsin (present-day Madeline Island), the Siskawit served as a regional supply vessel during the pre-railroad expansion era. She operated throughout Lake Superior, making regular runs to support trade outposts, fur company operations, and remote communities from Michipicoten to Marquette.

History

The Siskawit was one of the earliest locally-built schooners on Lake Superior, constructed by the American Fur Company to serve isolated posts. Notably grounded at Isle Royale in October 1840, she was recovered and repaired by the following year. Between 1842 and 1849, she ran regular commercial routes among developing Lake Superior ports.

By the late 1840s, she was enrolled at Michilimackinac and documented making cargo runs to early settlements. Her final voyage on Christmas Day, 1849, ended when she grounded near the mouth of the Chocolay River east of Marquette during a winter gale. The crew had reportedly commandeered or “kidnapped” the vessel to deliver supplies. The exact nature of this “kidnapping” suggests either unauthorized use or emergency commandeering due to urgent supply needs. Despite the drama, no fatalities were recorded.

Significant Incidents

• Grounded at Isle Royale in October 1840, recovered and repaired.
• Final grounding occurred on December 25, 1849, near the mouth of the Chocolay River.

Final Disposition

The Siskawit grounded and was wrecked in shallow water, possibly due to poor visibility, ice, or storm conditions. Her remains are presumed lost or buried near the river mouth, with no known modern recovery or archaeological assessment.

Current Condition & Accessibility

There is no record of the Siskawit‘s wreck being located by divers or researchers. The site at the mouth of the Chocolay River is unmarked.

No modern navigational hazard is associated with the Siskawit, but the area remains dynamic with sandbar and sediment movement. The Chocolay River area has seen shoreline development and may obscure historic wreck remnants.

Resources & Links

The Siskawit represents the earliest maritime commerce and settlement support network on Lake Superior. Built by the American Fur Company, she was integral to the logistics of an emerging region. Her unusual demise—grounded while reportedly “kidnapped”—adds a compelling note to her otherwise utilitarian service record.