Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: W.W. Arnold
- Type: Wooden-hulled schooner
- Year Built: 1863
- Builder: H.J. Williams, Buffalo, New York
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: 426 gross tons (347 net tons)
- Location: Near Two-Hearted River mouth, Lake Superior
- Coordinates: string
- Official Number: 26166
- Original Owners: J. Kelderhouse, Harrison & McGibbons, J.D. Bothwell
- Number of Masts: string
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A robust mid-19th-century wooden schooner, the W.W. Arnold was built to carry bulk freight—most notably iron ore—and was a standard model of its era on the Upper Great Lakes.
Description
The W.W. Arnold was a wooden-hulled schooner designed for the transportation of bulk cargo, particularly iron ore, which was a significant trade in the Great Lakes region during the 19th century.
History
- Commissioned in 1863 and initially owned by J. Kelderhouse of Buffalo.
- Sold in 1866 to Harrison & McGibbons.
- By the final voyage in 1869 she was managed by J.D. Bothwell of Cleveland.
Significant Incidents
- Departed Marquette on November 4, 1869, amid the “Great November Gale,” facing severe winds and snow.
- Foundered near the Two-Hearted River, breaking apart on the shore amid 50-ft cliffs.
- All souls aboard perished, with bodies uncovered later in early December.
Final Disposition
The schooner was declared a total wreck. Her belongings—including anchors, chain, cabin fittings—were salvaged in July 1870. The remains were abandoned to insurance underwriters.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern navigational warnings are attached. However, the Two-Hearted River site became significant enough to prompt construction of a U.S. Life-Saving Station in 1876.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”w-w-arnold-us-26166″ title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]
The schooner W.W. Arnold, built for iron-ore hauling, met its doom during a ferocious fall storm, leaving no survivors and scattering wreckage along Lake Superior’s remote shore. Its loss precipitated safety interventions and remains a stark echo of maritime risk in the Great Lakes’ shipping heyday.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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