Steven S. Bates (US 23341)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Steven S. Bates
• Type: Wooden schooner
• Year Built: 1856
• Builder: Bates & Son shipyard, Manitowoc, WI
• Dimensions: 97 ft (29.6 m) L × 27 ft beam × 7 ft depth of hold
• Registered Tonnage: 139 ton
• Depth at Wreck Site: 12 m / 40 ft
• Location: ~5 mi north of Grosse Point, IL
• Official Number: 23341
• Original Owners: Capt. William Bates
• Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

• Type: Wooden schooner (“clipper built”)
• Purpose: Coastal bulk cargo transport (posts and hardware)

Description

• A two-masted, wood-built schooner typical of mid-19th Century lake trade. Referred to as “clipper built,” denoting a sleek hull designed for improved speed under sail.

History

• Built in 1856 by the renowned Bates & Son yard in Manitowoc—operated by the Bates family, known across regional Great Lakes shipbuilding.
• Underwent major repairs around 1870, extending her service.
• Ownership: Out of Chicago at time of loss; owned by Capt. William Bates and mastered by Capt. Frank Walsh.
• Operations: Primarily carried hardware and posts—bulk cargo—between coastal ports.

Significant Incidents

• Final Voyage & Loss: Bound from Muskegon, MI and Horne’s Pier, WI, to Chicago. During a storm/fog on April 23, 1883, about 5 miles north of Grosse Point, IL, she dragged anchor, was driven into the shallows, and battered to pieces by waves. All six aboard survived, rescued by Evanston U.S. Lifesaving Service.

Final Disposition

• Date of loss: April 23, 1883
• Location: ~5 mi north of Grosse Point, IL (near Evanston)
• Weather: Storm with intermittent fog; anchored in shallows but broke free, was driven ashore, and destroyed by wave action.
• Casualties: None of the six crew aboard perished. All were rescued by the U.S. Lifesaving Service from Evanston.
• Cargo: Posts and hardware; presumably lost with the wreck.

Current Condition & Accessibility

• No record exists of a subsequent discovery or survey. Wreck likely subsequently broken up or buried in nearshore substrate.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”steven-s-bates-us-23341″ title=”References & Links”]

The Steven S. Bates represents a well-documented example of a small-scale schooner lost in spring Great Lakes storms. Its survival story reflects the effectiveness of the U.S. Lifesaving Service. As the wreck remains undiscovered, it presents a valuable nearshore dive opportunity. Confirming location via archival logs and targeted sonar survey could yield a historically significant shallow-water site.