Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: WILLIAM G. KEITH
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1869
- Builder: A. Muir, Port Huron, Michigan
- Dimensions: Length: 123.6 ft (37.7 m); Beam: 26 ft (7.9 m); Depth of hold: 8.8 ft (2.7 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 211 tons
- Location: Near Long Point, Lake Erie
- Coordinates: Not precisely recorded
- Official Number: 80082
- Original Owners: William G. Keith
- Number of Masts: 3
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The WILLIAM G. KEITH was a typical wooden three-masted schooner of the late 19th century, built to serve the booming lumber trade around the Great Lakes. Her dimensions made her well suited for carrying heavy cargo such as timber, shingles, and general bulk goods along both Lake Michigan and Lake Erie routes.
Description
The schooner was launched on 31 August 1869 at Port Huron for her namesake owner, William G. Keith. She enrolled in Port Huron on 17 September 1869 and entered trade on Lake Michigan hauling lumber, as well as performing general cargo transport throughout the upper lakes.
History
Less than two years into service, the KEITH was lost on 31 October 1870 when she stranded during a violent autumn gale near Long Point, Lake Erie. High winds and heavy seas forced the schooner ashore, where she broke up and was declared a total loss.
Significant Incidents
- Stranded during a gale on 31 October 1870.
- Declared a total loss after breaking up on the shore.
Final Disposition
Stranded and wrecked near Long Point, Lake Erie. Abandoned. No salvage recorded.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No archaeological verification exists, and remains are presumed scattered or buried along the Long Point sandbars.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”william-g-keith-us-80082″ title=”References & Links”]
The WILLIAM G. KEITH’s loss in the 1870 storm highlights the dangers faced by schooners on Lake Erie, especially during the notorious fall gales. As a lumber carrier with limited freeboard, she was particularly vulnerable to heavy seas near shallow shoals.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
Identification & Site Information
- Name: WILLIAM G. KEITH
- Official Number: 80082
- Year Built: 1869
- Type: Schooner
- Builder: A. Muir, Port Huron, Michigan
- Hull Material: Wood
- Number of Decks: 1
- Length: 123.6 feet (37.7 metres)
- Beam: 26 feet (7.9 metres)
- Depth: 8.8 feet (2.7 metres)
- Net Tonnage: 211 tons
Final Disposition
- Final Location: Near Long Point, Lake Erie
- Date Lost: 31 October 1870
- How Lost: Stranded during a gale, then wrecked
- Coordinates: Not precisely recorded
Vessel Type Description
The WILLIAM G. KEITH was a typical wooden three-masted schooner of the late 19th century, built to serve the booming lumber trade around the Great Lakes. Her dimensions made her well suited for carrying heavy cargo such as timber, shingles, and general bulk goods along both Lake Michigan and Lake Erie routes.
History
The schooner was launched on 31 August 1869 at Port Huron for her namesake owner, William G. Keith. She enrolled in Port Huron on 17 September 1869 and entered trade on Lake Michigan hauling lumber, as well as performing general cargo transport throughout the upper lakes.
Less than two years into service, the KEITH was lost on 31 October 1870 when she stranded during a violent autumn gale near Long Point, Lake Erie. High winds and heavy seas forced the schooner ashore, where she broke up and was declared a total loss.
Final Disposition
Stranded and wrecked near Long Point, Lake Erie. Abandoned. No salvage recorded.
NOTMARs & Advisories
There are no current Notices to Mariners relevant to the KEITH’s final site, though the Long Point area remains a known shallow hazard zone for modern navigation.
Located By & Date
The wreck has not been positively located by modern surveys or sonar.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No archaeological verification exists, and remains are presumed scattered or buried along the Long Point sandbars.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Great Lakes Vessels Database
- NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Conclusion
The WILLIAM G. KEITH’s loss in the 1870 storm highlights the dangers faced by schooners on Lake Erie, especially during the notorious fall gales. As a lumber carrier with limited freeboard, she was particularly vulnerable to heavy seas near shallow shoals.
Keywords
William G. Keith, Lake Erie Shipwreck, Long Point, Lumber Schooner, Great Lakes Maritime History, Port Huron Shipbuilding, 19th Century Schooner