Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: T.S. Christie
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1885
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft; Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Lake Michigan, near Filer City, Michigan
- Original Owners: Not conclusively recorded
- Number of Masts: Three
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The T.S. Christie was a wooden three-masted schooner, built for the cordwood and lumber trade, a common trade pattern for northern Michigan schooners serving smaller harbours.
Description
Constructed with oak framing and pine planking, the T.S. Christie had a single deck, a broad hold for carrying cordwood or other bulky commodities, and a fore-and-aft sail rig. Her design allowed operation into smaller harbours and beach landings if necessary.
History
Launched in 1885, T.S. Christie carried cordwood and other forest products from northern Michigan to ports across Lake Michigan for nearly fifty years. On 7 November 1933, she departed Escanaba bound for Filer City, Michigan, loaded with cordwood when she encountered a severe early winter blizzard.
Overwhelmed by the gale, she stranded near Filer City. The pounding surf broke her back — a structural failure of her keel and midsection — and she went to pieces on the beach. Fortunately, no lives were lost in the incident, with the crew able to reach shore.
Significant Incidents
- No fatalities reported.
Final Disposition
Declared a total constructive loss after breaking up. No significant salvage recorded.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No formal dive or archaeological survey has documented wreckage of the T.S. Christie, though scattered remains may still exist in the Filer City area.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”t-s-christie-1885″ title=”References & Links”]
The T.S. Christie is an example of the durability but ultimate vulnerability of 19th-century wooden schooners still working into the 1930s. Her loss during a November blizzard underscores the hazards of late-season sailing on Lake Michigan, even for veteran vessels in familiar trade routes.
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.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Vessel Name: T.S. Christie
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year built and launched: 1885
- Owner: Not conclusively recorded
- Cargo: Cordwood
- Date lost: 7 November 1933
- Location: Lake Michigan, near Filer City, Michigan
- Crew: No fatalities reported
Vessel Type
The T.S. Christie was a wooden three-masted schooner, built for the cordwood and lumber trade, a common trade pattern for northern Michigan schooners serving smaller harbours.
Description
Constructed with oak framing and pine planking, the T.S. Christie had a single deck, a broad hold for carrying cordwood or other bulky commodities, and a fore-and-aft sail rig. Her design allowed operation into smaller harbours and beach landings if necessary.
History
Launched in 1885, T.S. Christie carried cordwood and other forest products from northern Michigan to ports across Lake Michigan for nearly fifty years. On 7 November 1933, she departed Escanaba bound for Filer City, Michigan, loaded with cordwood when she encountered a severe early winter blizzard.
Overwhelmed by the gale, she stranded near Filer City. The pounding surf broke her back — a structural failure of her keel and midsection — and she went to pieces on the beach. Fortunately, no lives were lost in the incident, with the crew able to reach shore.
Final Dispositions
Declared a total constructive loss after breaking up. No significant salvage recorded.
Located By & Date Found
No formal dive or archaeological survey has documented wreckage of the T.S. Christie, though scattered remains may still exist in the Filer City area.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Vessels Index (BGSU)
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
Conclusion
The T.S. Christie is an example of the durability but ultimate vulnerability of 19th-century wooden schooners still working into the 1930s. Her loss during a November blizzard underscores the hazards of late-season sailing on Lake Michigan, even for veteran vessels in familiar trade routes.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Wooden schooner
- Cordwood trade
- Lake Michigan
- Filer City
- November storm
- Great Lakes shipwreck
- 19th-century ship operating in 20th century
- Maritime history
If you’d like, I can help look for newspaper reports from Manistee or Filer City in 1933 about the wreck — just say the word!
t-s-christie-1885 1933-11-07 14:04:00