Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: W. C. Craig
- Type: Two-masted wooden schooner, bulk freighter
- Year Built: 1857
- Builder: Likely in Michigan or Chicago area
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: 468 tons
- Location: Michigan shoreline (exact point unnamed)
- Coordinates: Not available
- Official Number: Not recorded
- Original Owners: Magraw Brothers, Chicago
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Two-masted wooden schooner, bulk freighter—commonly used for iron ore transport.
Description
The W. C. Craig was a two-masted wooden schooner built in 1857, primarily engaged in the iron ore trade between Lake Superior and Chicago. At the time of her loss, she was registered out of Chicago and owned by the Magraw Brothers.
History
Operated on the Lake Superior-to-Chicago iron ore trade route, the W. C. Craig typically transported cargo from Escanaba to Cleveland. The vessel was known for its role in the booming iron ore industry of the time.
Significant Incidents
- Date of Loss: 7 July 1869
- Voyage Route: Bound from Escanaba, MI to Cleveland, OH, carrying a full load of iron ore.
- In a sudden summer gale, she lost her way near a coastal point in Michigan, drifting and ultimately driven ashore.
- The crew attempted offloading cargo to refloat her, but she broke up on the rocks/shore and became a total loss.
Final Disposition
The vessel was declared a total wreck; cargo was jettisoned, and the hull was battered and broken up. No salvage of remains is known, and her registration was surrendered after the loss.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern archaeological survey, scan, or dive record exists for the W. C. Craig—wreck remains are considered lost or destroyed in shallow waters.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”w-c-craig-1857″ title=”References & Links”]
The schooner W. C. Craig was lost on 7 July 1869 while navigating from Escanaba to Cleveland loaded with iron ore. Driven ashore in a gale, the crew attempted cargo jettison to save her, but she broke up and was declared a total loss. Thankfully, no lives were lost. The vessel’s owner and master were the Magraw Brothers of Chicago, and no modern rediscovery of the wreck has been recorded.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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