Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Sutler Girl
- Type: Scow Schooner
- Year Built: 1863
- Builder: John Gates
- Dimensions: Length: 73.75 ft (22.5 m); Beam: 19.4 ft (5.9 m); Depth of hold: 5.52 ft (1.7 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 70 1/95 tons
- Location: 20 miles southwest of Port Stanley, Lake Erie
- Official Number: 22378
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Sutler Girl was a scow schooner, a flat-bottomed, boxy-hulled sailing vessel common on the Great Lakes for carrying heavy cargo such as stone, timber, and coal. These vessels were economical to build and could enter shallower ports thanks to their shallow draft.
Description
Built in 1863 by John Gates at Avon, Ohio, the Sutler Girl entered service as a typical scow schooner working in the Great Lakes cargo trade. Between 1863 and 1868, she was enrolled five times at Cleveland, reflecting an active working career. Her tonnage was recorded as 67.79 gross tons after measurement updates in 1868.
History
Scow schooners were vital to regional commerce but were known for their limited seaworthiness in rough weather. On November 1, 1875, the Sutler Girl encountered a severe storm on Lake Erie while on a voyage and disappeared southwest of Port Stanley. No survivors were ever found, and all hands were lost. There is no record of wreckage recovery.
Significant Incidents
- November 1, 1875: The Sutler Girl foundered in a storm on Lake Erie, resulting in the loss of all hands.
Final Disposition
The Sutler Girl is believed to rest in deep water approximately 20 miles southwest of Port Stanley, Lake Erie. The wreck has not been located or positively identified to date.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck is presumed to be in deep water and is currently undocumented. No known archaeological surveys have been conducted at the site.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”sutler-girl-us-22378″ title=”References & Links”]
The Sutler Girl exemplifies the vulnerability of scow schooners on the Great Lakes, combining heavy loads with marginal seaworthiness. Her loss in a Lake Erie storm highlights the hazards faced by 19th-century sailors, and her missing status adds to the mysteries beneath the lake.
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.
Identification & Site Information
- Name: Sutler Girl
- Official Number: 22378
- Year Built: 1863
- Builder: John Gates
- Built at: Avon, Ohio
- Vessel Type: Scow Schooner
- Hull Material: Wood
- Number of Decks: 1
- Number of Masts: 2
- Length: 73.75 feet (22.5 metres)
- Beam: 19.4 feet (5.9 metres)
- Depth: 5.52 feet (1.7 metres)
- Tonnage (old measurement): 70 1/95 tons
- Final Location: 20 miles southwest of Port Stanley, Lake Erie
- Depth: Unknown (presumed deep water)
- Date Lost: November 1, 1875
- How Lost: Foundered in storm
- Final Cargo: Unknown
- Fatalities: All hands lost
Vessel Type Description
The Sutler Girl was a scow schooner, a flat-bottomed, boxy-hulled sailing vessel common on the Great Lakes for carrying heavy cargo such as stone, timber, and coal. These vessels were economical to build and could enter shallower ports thanks to their shallow draft.
History
Built in 1863 by John Gates at Avon, Ohio, the Sutler Girl entered service as a typical scow schooner working in the Great Lakes cargo trade. Between 1863 and 1868, she was enrolled five times at Cleveland, reflecting an active working career. Her tonnage was recorded as 67.79 gross tons after measurement updates in 1868.
Scow schooners were vital to regional commerce but were known for their limited seaworthiness in rough weather. On November 1, 1875, the Sutler Girl encountered a severe storm on Lake Erie while on a voyage and disappeared southwest of Port Stanley. No survivors were ever found, and all hands were lost. There is no record of wreckage recovery.
Final Disposition
The Sutler Girl is believed to rest in deep water approximately 20 miles southwest of Port Stanley, Lake Erie. The wreck has not been located or positively identified to date.
NOTMARs & Advisories
No current Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) apply to this wreck.
Located By & Date
The Sutler Girl has not been found; she disappeared in 1875 and remains missing.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck is presumed to be in deep water and is currently undocumented. No known archaeological surveys have been conducted at the site.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Vessels Database (Bowling Green State University)
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- C. Patrick Labadie Collection
Conclusion
The Sutler Girl exemplifies the vulnerability of scow schooners on the Great Lakes, combining heavy loads with marginal seaworthiness. Her loss in a Lake Erie storm highlights the hazards faced by 19th-century sailors, and her missing status adds to the mysteries beneath the lake.
Keywords
Sutler Girl, scow schooner, Lake Erie shipwreck, lost in storm, Port Stanley, Great Lakes history, 19th-century shipping, maritime disaster