Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record

This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.

(built 1856, Buffalo; sank circa 1856)

Identification & Site Information

• Vessel name: Storm King
• Registry number: not specified
• Year built: 1856, Buffalo, New York (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)
• Gross tonnage: not provided
• Hull material: wood; rig: schooner; sail propulsion
• Cargo: iron rods
• Loss location: Lake Michigan, Milwaukee Harbor (coordinates N 43° 01.457′, W 087° 53.520′)
• Casualties: none reported
• Depth of wreck: unrecorded

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 & Service

• 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.

Final Disposition

• 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.

Located By & Discovery

• 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.

Notmars & Advisories

• No formal Notices to Mariners or charted hazard warnings associated with this wreck.

Resources & Links

• Wisconsin Shipwrecks vessel profile for Storm King (1856), with loss summary and alternate date note (wisconsinshipwrecks.org, wisconsinshipwrecks.org, Library of Congress Tile ).
• Wisconsin’s Historic Shipwrecks overview referencing Storm King among surf‑zone wrecks (wisconsinshipwrecks.org).

Research Gaps & Further Investigation Suggestions

• Clarify loss date: Archive searches in Milwaukee newspaper archives (e.g. Milwaukee Sentinel, Daily Wisconsin), especially November 1856 and June 1862.
• Crew / ownership records: Seek Milwaukee port and customs enrollment records, vessel registries in Buffalo and Milwaukee.
• Insurance and marine board records: Wisconsin Historical Society and federal marine casualty files may yield claims or inquiry data.
• Hydrographic survey: Use side-scan sonar or targeted dives near the harbor coordinates (N 43° 01.457′, W 087° 53.520′) to try locating remains.

Conclusion

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.

Keywords / Categories

Lake Michigan; schooner; iron cargo; Milwaukee; port accident; 1856 storm; unlocated wreck.

storm-king-1856 1856-11-30 14:02:00