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.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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