Shotline Diving

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Tuscola US 24225

Explore the history of the Tuscola, a wooden schooner lost in Lake Michigan during a storm in 1878. Discover its service and the ongoing mystery of its wreck.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Tuscola
  • Type: Wooden schooner
  • Year Built: 1851
  • Builder: F. N. Jones, Buffalo, New York
  • Dimensions: Length: 128 ft (39 m); Beam: 23 ft (7 m); Depth of hold: 8 ft (2.4 m)
  • Registered Tonnage: 179 GT
  • Location: Off Highland Park or Glencoe, Illinois, Lake Michigan
  • Official Number: 24225

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Tuscola was classified as a wooden schooner, a common vessel type for cargo transport on the Great Lakes.

Description

The Tuscola was a wooden-hulled schooner, built in 1851 in Buffalo, New York, by F. N. Jones. She served as a Great Lakes cargo vessel for nearly three decades, primarily transporting bulk goods such as stone, lumber, grain, and coal between ports in Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

She was rebuilt twice during her career: in 1859, major repairs were conducted in Buffalo, New York, and in 1864, another rebuild took place in Benton Harbor, Michigan, likely to extend her service life. By the late 1870s, Tuscola was aging but still actively transporting goods, primarily cobblestones, which were commonly used for paving streets in cities like Chicago.

History

Throughout her service, the Tuscola was involved in the transportation of essential materials that contributed to the development of cities around the Great Lakes. Her cargo included various bulk goods, reflecting the economic activities of the region during the 19th century.

Significant Incidents

  • 1859: Major repairs conducted in Buffalo, New York.
  • 1864: Rebuild in Benton Harbor, Michigan.
  • June 21, 1878: The Tuscola sank during a storm while sailing from Traverse Bay, Michigan, to Chicago, Illinois.

Final Disposition

The Tuscola was declared a total loss after sinking. No known salvage efforts have been recorded, and there has been no confirmed modern discovery of wreckage.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No confirmed wreck site has been identified. Possible remains may still exist off the Illinois coast, north of Chicago, but no formal surveys have identified the wreck.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”tuscola-us-24225″ title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]

The Tuscola was a long-serving Great Lakes schooner, operating for 27 years before succumbing to a storm north of Chicago in 1878. Despite the crew’s efforts, the ship took on too much water and foundered, though all hands were rescued. Though her wreck has not been located, she remains one of many lost schooners that once carried the building materials that shaped Chicago and other Great Lakes cities.

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.

Schooner Tuscola (1851–1878)

Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Tuscola
  • Other Names: None
  • Official Number: 24225
  • Vessel Type at Loss: Wooden schooner
  • Builder: F. N. Jones, Buffalo, New York
  • Year Built & Launched: 1851
  • Specifications: Length: 128 ft (39 m) Beam: 23 ft (7 m) Depth: 8 ft (2.4 m)
  • Tonnage: 179 GT
  • Date Lost: June 21, 1878
  • Location of Loss: Off Highland Park or Glencoe, Illinois, Lake Michigan
  • Cause of Loss: Storm, sprang a leak
  • Loss of Life: None
  • Cargo at Time of Loss: Cobblestones

Vessel Description & Service History

The Tuscola was a wooden-hulled schooner, built in 1851 in Buffalo, New York, by F. N. Jones. She served as a Great Lakes cargo vessel for nearly three decades, primarily transporting bulk goods such as stone, lumber, grain, and coal between ports in Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

She was rebuilt twice during her career: 1859: Major repairs in Buffalo, New York. 1864: Another rebuild in Benton Harbor, Michigan, likely to extend her service life.

By the late 1870s, Tuscola was aging but still actively transporting goods, primarily cobblestones, which were commonly used for paving streets in cities like Chicago.

Final Voyage & Loss

On June 21, 1878, the Tuscola was sailing from Traverse Bay, Michigan, to Chicago, Illinois, loaded with cobblestones when she encountered a gale between Milwaukee and Racine, Wisconsin. The ship began leaking, and the crew struggled to keep up with the incoming water using pumps. By the time she reached just north of Chicago (off Highland Park or Glencoe, Illinois), the water had gained too far on her pumps, forcing the crew to abandon ship. The crew was rescued by the schooner Nassau and the Goodrich steamer Chicago. Tuscola eventually foundered and was lost beneath the waves.

Final Disposition & Salvage

  • Declared a total loss after sinking.
  • No known salvage efforts recorded.
  • No confirmed modern discovery of wreckage.

Located By & Date Found

No confirmed wreck site identified. Possible remains may still exist off the Illinois coast, north of Chicago, but no formal surveys have identified the wreck.

Notmars & Advisories

Lake Michigan’s western shoreline, near Chicago, has seen many shipwrecks, especially due to storms and high traffic in the 19th century. The Tuscola is one of many schooners lost in this area, highlighting the dangers of wooden cargo vessels in heavy weather.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The Tuscola was a long-serving Great Lakes schooner, operating for 27 years before succumbing to a storm north of Chicago in 1878. Despite the crew’s efforts, the ship took on too much water and foundered, though all hands were rescued. Though her wreck has not been located, she remains one of many lost schooners that once carried the building materials that shaped Chicago and other Great Lakes cities.

tuscola-us-24225 1878-06-21 07:55:00