Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Transfer
- Type: Wooden schooner-barge
- Year Built: 1874
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: East side of Beaver Island, Lake Michigan
- Original Owners: Not conclusively documented
- Number of Masts: Three
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Transfer was a wooden schooner-barge, a common design for the 1870s Great Lakes trades, typically towed by steamers such as the Alleghany to carry bulk goods including lumber, iron ore, and general merchandise.
Description
Built of oak framing and pine planking, the Transfer had a single deck, three masts for auxiliary sail power, and a capacious hold for bulk cargo. She was designed for stability under tow, with a reinforced hull to withstand heavy seas.
History
Launched in 1874, the Transfer served for more than two decades transporting bulk cargo across the lakes. On 29 October 1896, while under tow of the steamer Alleghany and bound from Chicago to Manistique, Michigan, the Transfer encountered a severe storm on Lake Michigan. Pushed off course, she grounded on the east side of Beaver Island.
Although no cargo was on board at the time, the pounding surf quickly damaged the vessel beyond practical salvage. The crew escaped safely, assisted by those aboard the Alleghany.
Significant Incidents
- No loss of life reported.
Final Disposition
Declared a total constructive loss after stranding and breaking up. No significant salvage recorded.
Current Condition & Accessibility
There is no documented modern archaeological survey of the Transfer wreck site, though local divers report scattered timbers may remain off Beaver Island.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”transfer1874″ title=”References & Links”]
The loss of the Transfer illustrates the hazards of late-season towing on Lake Michigan, where even unladen schooner-barges could become total wrecks if cast ashore by storms. Its history, and the dramatic final stranding at Beaver Island, mark it as a representative example of 19th-century schooner-barge operations.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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