Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Toledo
• Type: 2-mast wooden schooner
• Year Built: 1843
• Builder: A. Miller, Oswego, New York
• Dimensions: Length: 93 ft (28.35 m); Beam: 20 ft (6.10 m); Depth of hold: 8 ft (2.44 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 139 gt
• Location: Perry’s Pier, 13 miles north of Manistee, Michigan
• Official Number: 24234
• Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Toledo was classified as a 2-mast wooden schooner, a common vessel type used for cargo transport in the 19th century.

Description

The Toledo was a wooden schooner built in 1843 by A. Miller at Oswego, New York. It was a relatively small schooner for its time, measuring 93 feet in length, 20 feet in beam, and with a depth of 8 feet. The vessel had a gross tonnage of 139 tons, and like many schooners of its era, it was used primarily for carrying cargo, particularly wood. On August 5, 1875, while the Toledo was loading wood at Perry’s Pier, located approximately 13 miles north of Manistee, Michigan, it was caught by a violent storm. The storm’s force drove the vessel ashore, where it broke in two. The Toledo was completely wrecked in the process. Despite the severity of the storm and the damage sustained, no loss of life was reported in the incident. However, the vessel’s fate was sealed; by August 17, it was reported that the wreck was rapidly going to pieces, indicating that the ship had been utterly destroyed by the storm and the subsequent deterioration.

History

The Toledo was built in 1843 and served primarily in the transportation of wood. Its operational history included various cargo runs until its loss in 1875 during a storm.

Significant Incidents

• Date of Loss: August 5, 1875
• Place of Loss: Perry’s Pier, 13 miles north of Manistee, Michigan
• Type of Loss: Storm
• Notable Incident: The vessel was driven ashore and broke in two during the storm.

Final Disposition

The Toledo was driven ashore during a storm on August 5, 1875, while loading wood at Perry’s Pier, north of Manistee. The schooner was broken in two by the storm, and by August 17, the wreck was reported to be breaking apart. The Toledo was effectively lost, with no recovery or salvage efforts mentioned in the records. The vessel’s wreckage was left to deteriorate in the aftermath of the storm.

Current Condition & Accessibility

There is no record of the exact location where the remains of the Toledo were found or whether any modern search or exploration has been conducted at the site. Given the reported rapid deterioration of the wreck, it is likely that the remains have been long since scattered or completely destroyed.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”toledo-us-24234″ title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]

The Toledo was a small, wooden schooner that met its end on August 5, 1875, when it was caught in a storm while loading wood at Perry’s Pier, near Manistee, Michigan. The vessel was driven ashore and broken in two, rapidly deteriorating over the course of the following weeks. The storm claimed the schooner, but fortunately, there were no fatalities reported. The Toledo‘s wreck serves as a reminder of the unpredictable dangers faced by mariners on Lake Michigan in the 19th century.