Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: St. Joseph
- Type: schooner
- Year Built: 1868
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Unspecified, likely near Lake Michigan shoreline
- Official Number: Not located in available sources
- Original Owners: Private coastal or Great Lakes merchants (owner name unrecorded)
- Number of Masts: Two-masted
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A wooden two-masted schooner engaged in general freight or perhaps bulk cargo transport. Exact vessel configuration remains undocumented in accessible sources.
Description
No detailed hull measurements or cargo load reported. As a contemporary small schooner built in 1868, she likely measured between 100–150 feet in length, wooden construction, typical rigging of the period.
History
Built in 1868 and active during the 1860s–early 1880s. Owned by private coastal or Great Lakes merchants (owner name unrecorded). No prior incident history has been identified in publicly accessible database summaries.
Significant Incidents
- Loss of life: None reported — the crew survived (no fatalities noted).
Final Disposition
Reported as having foundered in a storm, likely during gale conditions on Lake Michigan on October 31, 1883. The entry in Great Lakes Shipwreck Files indicates she sank at sea, with no survivors lost, though exact circumstances—e.g. cargo, towing vessel, route—are undocumented in the entries.
Current Condition & Accessibility
There is no known wreck site associated with St. Joseph. No underwater remains have been identified or surveyed to date.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”st-joseph-1868″ title=”References & Links”]
St. Joseph was a wooden schooner built in 1868. According to the only available reference (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files), she reportedly foundered in a gale on October 31, 1883, with no loss of life. However, no further corroborating records—such as dimensions, crew names, cargo, or precise location—have been located. The solitary mention contains potential inconsistencies regarding hull reconstruction or date confusion. Expanded archival research is required to confirm vessel identity and loss details.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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