Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Storm King
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1856
- Builder: B. B. Jones
- Dimensions: Length 130 ft (39.6 m); Beam 28.25 ft (8.61 m); Depth of hold 11 ft (3.35 m)
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Milwaukee Harbor, Lake Michigan
- Coordinates: N 43° 01.457′, W 087° 53.520′
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
- A large two-masted sail schooner built for bulk cargo, capable of hauling iron goods and material cargoes on regional routes.
Description
A stout wooden schooner with substantial beam and hold depth, ideal for transporting heavy loads such as iron rods. Constructed mid-century in Buffalo for Great Lakes service.
History
- Carried cargo of iron rods when she dismasted and sank in Milwaukee Harbor, reportedly in November 1856, resulting in hull loss valued at $7,000, cargo loss $3,000 (wisconsinshipwrecks.org, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, NOAA Institutional Repository, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
- An alternate account suggests a sinking date of June 1, 1862, near Beaver Island, though this is likely a confusion with a second vessel using the same name (wisconsinshipwrecks.org).
- No crew or owner information is recorded publicly; no registered fatalities.
Significant Incidents
- The sinking appears accidental, due to dismasting during a gale or handling incident in port. Cargo likely lost with hull.
- No known salvage or insurance inquiry information recovered; customary for mid-19th-century small-scale losses.
Final Disposition
- The wreck site has not been archaeologically confirmed. No diver reports or acoustic surveys are public.
- Coordinates given are approximate for Milwaukee Harbor but have not been validated with sonar or diving exploration.
Current Condition & Accessibility
- No formal Notices to Mariners or charted hazard warnings associated with this wreck.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”storm-king-1856″ title=”References & Links”]
Storm King was a significant mid-19th-century iron-rod-hauling schooner lost in Milwaukee Harbor in late 1856. Its substantial size and cargo point to a busy iron trade route. While records document the sinking and financial loss, critical information—crew, owners, precise sinking date, and physical site—is missing. Archival deep-dives and physical survey are recommended to resolve uncertainties and possibly locate the wreck.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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