Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Willard A. Smith US 80587

Explore the remains of the Willard A. Smith, a wooden schooner lost in 1893 during a storm in Horseshoe Bay, Wisconsin.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Willard A. Smith
  • Type: Wooden two-masted schooner
  • Year Built: 1875
  • Builder: B. Campbell
  • Dimensions: 65 × 17 × 6 ft (19.8 × 5.2 × 1.8 m); 44 gross / 42 net tons
  • Registered Tonnage: 44 gross / 42 net tons
  • Location: Horseshoe Bay, Wisconsin
  • Coordinates: Nil return; no confirmed GPS location.
  • Official Number: 80 587
  • Number of Masts: Two

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

A wooden two-masted schooner designed for canal-fed waters and coastal lake traffic, the Willard A. Smith was built to navigate the Great Lakes and rivers.

Description

The Willard A. Smith was a compact schooner with a relatively small hull measuring 65 feet in length. Her modest tonnage made her vulnerable to rapid weather changes, particularly near shorelines. This design was typical of mid-19th-century vessels adapted for both freight and river-lake interchange.

History

Constructed in 1875 by B. Campbell in Charlevoix, Michigan, the Willard A. Smith served in various capacities until her loss in 1893. She was primarily used for transporting wood, including pulpwood and cordwood.

Significant Incidents

  • Loss Date: 14 October 1893
  • Incident: While tied to Anderson’s Dock in Horseshoe Bay, the vessel was caught by a sudden west wind, which pushed her onto a lee shore. She was subsequently pounded by waves, leading to her moorings failing and her wrecking on the shore.
  • Casualties: No casualties were reported during the incident.

Final Disposition

The Willard A. Smith struck the beach and broke up on the lee shore of Horseshoe Bay. The wreck remained on or near the shoreline, but no modern dive surveys have confirmed its current condition.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No recent sonar surveys, GPS sites, or dive records have confirmed the wreck’s final position. It is likely that the remains are buried in the shallow surf zone or scattered along the shoreline.

Resources & Links

References are being reviewed for this wreck.

The Willard A. Smith, lost in a sudden gale on 14 October 1893, remains unlocated, with her remains possibly resting in shallow waters or along the shoreline. No technical surveys have confirmed her final resting place.