Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: STANLEY L. NOBLE
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1846
- Builder: Erastus Lockwood
- Dimensions: Length: 96.6 ft (29.4 m); Beam: 20 ft; Depth of hold: 7 ft
- Registered Tonnage: 126.56 gross tons
- Location: Clay Banks, Wisconsin
- Official Number: 23103
- Original Owners: Honeywell & Becker, James Howard, Thomas Ellery
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The STANLEY L. NOBLE was a wooden, single-deck schooner, originally built in 1846 and later rebuilt in 1851, increasing its tonnage and dimensions.
Description
The vessel was constructed of wood and featured two masts. After its rebuild in 1851, it measured 96.6 feet in length, 20 feet in beam, and had a depth of hold of 7 feet.
History
Enrolled at Cleveland, OH from 1846 to 1863, the STANLEY L. NOBLE underwent significant events during its service, including a rebuild in 1851 that increased its tonnage to 126.56 tons. It faced challenges such as jettisoning cargo during a gale in 1858 and being declared a total loss after grounding at Bar Point in 1860, although it was later recovered. Ownership changed several times, with the final owners being James Howard and Thomas Ellery in 1867.
Significant Incidents
- 1858: Jettisoned 3,000 staves during a gale on Lake Erie.
- Nov 1860: Driven ashore at Bar Point, Lake Erie; declared a total loss but recovered.
Final Disposition
The STANLEY L. NOBLE was driven ashore by a gale on November 16, 1868, near Clay Banks, Wisconsin, where it broke apart and was declared a total loss. No casualties were reported, and the wreck is believed to have dispersed in the surf, with no known intact hull remains.
Current Condition & Accessibility
As of now, there are no known intact remains of the STANLEY L. NOBLE. The wreck site is dispersed, and accessibility may be limited due to the nature of the loss.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”stanley-l-noble-us-23103″ title=”References & Links”]
The STANLEY L. NOBLE exemplified a mid-19th-century wooden schooner that endured multiple severe incidents across Lake Erie before its final wreck on Lake Michigan’s Wisconsin shore in November 1868. Despite its robust service and rebuild, it succumbed to a powerful storm that drove her ashore near Clay Banks. While no physical wreck remains, the event is well-documented in Great Lakes vessel registers.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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