Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: The Brick
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1891
- Builder: Traverse City, Michigan
- Dimensions: 76 ft (23.16 m) × 25 ft × 4 ft; 53 gross tons
- Registered Tonnage: 53 gross tons
- Location: ½ mile SSE of Green Island Light, northern Green Bay
- Official Number: 145603
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Vessel Identification & Construction
- Name: The Brick
- Official No.: 145603 (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Built: 1891 at Traverse City, Michigan
- Dimensions: 76 ft (L) × 25 ft (B) × 4 ft (D); 53 gross tons (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Description
Description
The Brick was a modest wooden schooner that operated primarily in northern Lake Michigan. It was built in 1891 and measured 76 feet in length, 25 feet in beam, and had a depth of 4 feet. The vessel had a registered tonnage of 53 gross tons.
History
Operational History
- A small, coastal cargo schooner operating around northern Lake Michigan.
- No prior incident records, though there’s mention in the registry of an earlier collision in 1900 near Tobermory, Georgian Bay, before its final wreck in 1903 (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
Significant Incidents
Final Voyage & Loss
- Date of Loss: March 31, 1903
- Location: Grounded and wrecked about ½ mile SSE of Green Island Light, in northern Green Bay, Lake Michigan (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
- Probable Cause: Likely a spring storm, consistent with the notation ‘(storm?)’ in the shipwreck records (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
- Cargo & Crew: Unknown; no casualties are recorded (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
Final Disposition
Conclusion
The Brick was lost during the spring season after grounding near Green Island Light. Likely overwhelmed by a storm, she wrecked half a mile offshore with no crew lost. While technical specs are recorded, details about cargo, crew, and incident conditions remain to be uncovered through period logs and local reporting. Further archival research could clarify the ship’s final voyage and operational history.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Archival Gaps & Suggested Inquiry
| Research Focus | Suggested Sources |
|---|---|
| Cargo & ownership | Traverse City registry & cargo manifests from 1903 |
| Storm conditions | Weather reports from early spring 1903 (e.g., National Weather Service archives) |
| Grounding circumstances | Coast Guard or U.S. Lighthouse Service logs from Green Island light station |
| Local news responses | Green Bay Press-Gazette editions (April 1903) for grounding articles and eyewitness accounts |
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”the-brick-us-145603″ title=”References & Links”]
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