Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Unknown No. 5
- Type: Work barge / utility barge
- Year Built: Unknown (likely 19th to early 20th century)
- Builder: Unknown
- Dimensions: Not reliably documented
- Registered Tonnage: Unknown
- Depth at Wreck Site: 1.2 m / 4 ft
- Location: Shallow water off Gary, Indiana
- Coordinates: Not publicly documented
- Official Number: Unknown
- Original Owners: Unknown
- Number of Masts: Unknown
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Unknown No. 5 is classified as a work barge, a non-self-propelled hull utilized for industrial or harbor support tasks such as dredging, loading, or stationing equipment.
Description
The wreck site features three main structural fragments and an associated debris field, indicating disintegration or dismantling in place. The structural parts likely include deck beams, frames, or hull sections, consistent with utility barges of the Great Lakes region.
History
No extant archival record, registry listing, or newspaper account has been unequivocally tied to Unknown No. 5. As a support barge, it may have been owned by a harbor authority, steel company, or private contractor, with operations often documented only in internal logs.
Significant Incidents
- No known records exist of any crew or casualty outcomes. As a utility barge, it may have had minimal crew or been unmanned when decommissioned.
Final Disposition
The barge remains in very shallow water (~4 ft). Over time, decay, wave action, and sediment movement have scattered the structural elements and possibly buried or degraded portions of the hull.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The site is catalogued by the Indiana DNR Shipwrecks listing. Publicly accessible photogrammetric or sonar imagery specific to Unknown No. 5 appears limited.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”unknown-no-5-6work-barge-gary-indiana” title=”References & Links”]
Unknown No. 5 offers a glimpse into the maritime industrial history of the Great Lakes, with its fragmented remains serving as a reminder of the region’s past.
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.
Lead Image
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
Other Names: None documented
Official Number: Unknown
Registry: Unknown
Vessel Type: Work barge / utility barge
Builder: Unknown
Year Built: Unknown (likely 19th to early 20th century)
Dimensions: Not reliably documented
Cargo on Final Voyage: Unknown
Date of Loss: Unknown
Location: Shallow water off Gary, Indiana, Lake Michigan
Coordinates: Not publicly documented
Depth: ~4 ft (1.2 m)
Home Port: Unknown
Owners: Unknown
Crew: Unknown
Casualties: Unknown
Description
Unknown No. 5 is believed to be a **work barge**—a non-self-propelled hull used for industrial or harbor support tasks (e.g. dredging, loading, stationing equipment). The wreck site features three main structural fragments and an associated debris field, suggesting disintegration or dismantling in place. The structural parts likely include deck beams, frames, or hull sections. The overall configuration and material composition are consistent with utility barges of the Great Lakes region.
History
No extant archival record, registry listing, or newspaper account has been unequivocally tied to *Unknown No. 5*. As a support barge, it may have been owned by a harbor authority, steel company, or private contractor, operations often documented only in internal logs, not public registries.
Final Dispositions
The barge did not sink to deep water but remains in very shallow water (~4 ft). Over time, decay, wave action, and sediment movement have scattered the structural elements and possibly buried or degraded portions of the hull. The debris field suggests breakage and detachment of parts from the original hull.
Located By & Date Found
Unknown No. 5 is identified in the Indiana DNR *Shipwrecks* inventory as part of a combined site with *Unknown No. 6*. Archaeological survey work mapped structural fragments and debris in shallow water off Gary. The precise date of identification is not publicly documented in accessible sources.
Notmars & Advisories
No formal Notices to Mariners (NOTMAR) have been linked to this barge. The shallow depth means hazards are restricted to small craft navigating very near shore, especially under low water conditions.
Dive Information
Access: Shore / wade likely
Entry Point: Near Gary shoreline
Conditions: Very shallow water, submerged debris, variable sediment
Depth Range: ~4 ft (1.2 m)
Emergency Contacts: USCG Sector Lake Michigan; Indiana DNR underwater heritage office
Permits: Likely required under Indiana underwater archaeology / heritage protections
Dive Support: Local dive / charter operations in northwest Indiana
Crew & Casualty Memorials
No known records exist of any crew or casualty outcomes. As a utility barge, it may have had minimal crew or been unmanned when decommissioned.
Documented Statements & Extracts
“Unknown 5 and 6 have been identified by archaeologists as barges used for cargo transport, but where they were built, or when they sank, remains a mystery.”
“Vessel consists of three main structural parts and a large debris field.”
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
No matching registry or insurance documents have been located. Because work barges were often not formally registered, trace evidence may reside in industrial / harbor authority logs or company archives in the Gary / Indiana Harbor area.
Site Documentation & Imaging
The site is catalogued by the Indiana DNR *Shipwrecks* listing. Publicly accessible photogrammetric or sonar imagery specific to *Unknown No. 5* appears limited. The combined site with No. 6 suggests unpublished survey maps or field documentation might exist in state archaeological repositories.
Image Gallery
Resources & Links
- Indiana DNR *Shipwrecks – Lake Michigan Coastal Program* (entry for Unknown Nos. 5 & 6)
- Historic Marker Database, *Unknown 5 / 6* barge listing
- Indiana DNR “Indiana Shipwrecks in Lake Michigan” inventory PDF
- Gary / Calumet region industrial archives, steel company and harbor records
References
- Indiana DNR, *Shipwrecks – Lake Michigan Coastal Program* listing (Unknown No. 5 / 6)
- Historic Marker Database, *Unknown 5 & 6* barges
- “Indiana Shipwrecks in Lake Michigan” (Indiana DNR inventory PDF)
- Calumet Region Historical Guide (1939) — general harbor development near Gary
NOAA Shipwreck Record Card
Other Names: None known
Official Number: Unknown
Coordinates: Not publicly recorded
Depth: ~4 ft (1.2 m)
Location Description: Shoreline area near Gary, Indiana
Vessel Type: Work barge
Material: Likely wood / mixed
Dimensions: Unknown
Condition: Fragmentary remains, debris field
Cause of Loss: Unknown
Discovery Date: Documented by state archaeological surveys
Discovered By: Indiana DNR / regional marine survey teams
Method: Shallow water reconnaissance, mapping & divergence survey
Legal Notes: Combined site with Unknown No. 6
Hazards: Submerged debris and structural fragments
Permits Required: Governed by Indiana underwater heritage regulations