Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

William B. Morley (Caledonia, Gale Staples) US 81191

Explore the wreck of the William B. Morley, a wooden bulk freighter that met its fate in Lake Superior in 1918.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: WILLIAM B. MORLEY
  • Type: Bulk Freighter, wood-hulled
  • Year Built: 1888
  • Builder: Morley & Hill
  • Dimensions: 277.2 ft (84.5 m); Beam: 42 ft (12.8 m); Depth of hold: 15 ft (4.6 m)
  • Registered Tonnage: 1846 gross tons, 1468 net tons (later 2197 gross, 1509 net tons)
  • Depth at Wreck Site: 4.6 m / 15 ft
  • Location: Near Au Sable Point Lighthouse, Lake Superior, approximately 5/8 mile from shore
  • Official Number: 81191
  • Original Owners: James Corrigan, John Huntington, Caledonia Steamship Co., Great Lakes Engineering Works, Davidson & Smith Elevator Co.
  • Number of Masts: Four

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden Bulk Freighter (later converted to Schooner Barge)

Description

The WILLIAM B. MORLEY was a wooden-hulled bulk freighter built in 1888 by Morley & Hill in Marine City, Michigan. At 277.2 feet in length with a 42-foot beam, the vessel was a sizable freighter for its time, designed to carry large quantities of ore, coal, and grain throughout the Great Lakes. She featured four masts and a screw propulsion system powered by a triple expansion engine built by Dry Dock Engine Works in Detroit, Michigan.

The vessel underwent significant modifications throughout her life. In 1900, she was rebuilt in Duluth, Minnesota, where her dimensions were altered, increasing her depth to 24.7 feet and her gross tonnage to 2197 tons. During the 1907-1908 winter, her engine was removed and installed in another vessel, the POLYNESIA, converting the MORLEY into a schooner-barge. She was re-engined in 1909 using machinery from the KITTIE M. FORBES.

History

The WILLIAM B. MORLEY had a dynamic and varied career on the Great Lakes. After being enrolled in Port Huron, Michigan, in 1888, she quickly changed ownership, reflecting her utility and value in the bulk freight trade. In 1889, she was renamed CALEDONIA and entered the ore, coal, and grain trade under the ownership of James Corrigan and John Huntington of Cleveland, Ohio.

By 1908, she had been converted to a schooner-barge, a common practice for older steamships that could still serve as towed vessels. The CALEDONIA (formerly MORLEY) continued to operate under various owners, including the Caledonia Steamship Co. of Grand Island, New York, and later the Great Lakes Engineering Works of Ecorse, Michigan.

In 1916, she was sold to the Davidson & Smith Elevator Co. of Port Arthur, Ontario, and renamed GALE STAPLES.

Significant Incidents

On October 1, 1918, while operating as the GALE STAPLES, the vessel was carrying a load of coal when she encountered heavy weather near Au Sable Point Lighthouse on Lake Superior. She ran aground on a shoal approximately 5/8 mile from shore. Despite efforts to salvage the vessel, the harsh conditions and shoal impact led to her becoming a total loss. The wreck settled in shallow water, at a depth of 15 feet.

Final Disposition

Ran aground on a shoal near Au Sable Point Lighthouse, Lake Superior, on October 1, 1918, during heavy weather. The vessel became a total loss and rests in 15 feet of water.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Nil—no formal reports of the GALE STAPLES (formerly WILLIAM B. MORLEY) being located, though the shallow depth suggests it may have been accessible to divers or salvors.

Resources & Links

References are being reviewed for this wreck.

The WILLIAM B. MORLEY‘s long and eventful career reflects the evolution of Great Lakes freighters in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Originally launched as a wooden bulk freighter, she underwent multiple modifications, including a transformation into a schooner-barge to extend her usefulness in the changing maritime industry. Her final wreck near Au Sable Point in 1918 during a coal run serves as a reminder of the unpredictable conditions on Lake Superior, where even experienced crews and robust ships were vulnerable to shoals and storms. Her transformation from MORLEY to CALEDONIA to GALE STAPLES also illustrates the common practice of renaming vessels as they changed roles or owners, a testament to the economic pressures and shifting demands of Great Lakes shipping.