Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: William Goodnow
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1866
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Likely western Lake Erie or lower Lake Huron
- Original Owners: Not conclusively recorded
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The William Goodnow was a wooden two-masted schooner, a typical Great Lakes workhorse used for general cargo including grain, lumber, or coal.
Description
Constructed with oak frames and pine planking, she featured a single deck, relatively shallow draft, and broad beam to maximize cargo capacity. Her rig was standard for a schooner of the mid-1860s: fore-and-aft sails on two masts.
History
Built in 1866, the William Goodnow operated as a cargo schooner in the busy lake trades of the late 1860s. On the night of 14 June 1869 (with some reports giving 16 July 1869), she was lying to and awaiting a tow in darkness, likely near a common shipping lane. During the night, the bark 38 PM G (as coded in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, probably shorthand for a bark’s registration or name) rammed her amidships.
The collision caused severe hull damage. She quickly flooded and sank, but there was no loss of life among her two-man crew. The collision was attributed to poor visibility and lack of sufficient lookout while awaiting the tow.
Significant Incidents
- Collision with the bark 38 PM G on 14 June 1869, resulting in severe hull damage and sinking.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss after sinking; no salvage documented.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern discovery of the wreck has been reported, and its precise site remains uncharted.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”william-goodnow-1866″ title=”References & Links”]
The loss of the William Goodnow reflects the serious collision hazards on the Great Lakes in the era before reliable night lighting and coordinated traffic control. The schooner’s destruction while lying to for a tow is a vivid reminder of how crowded and dangerous these shipping lanes were, especially in poor visibility.
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.
WILLIAM GOODNOW (Launched 1866)
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Vessel Name: William Goodnow
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year built and launched: 1866
- Owner: Not conclusively recorded
- Cargo: Unknown at time of loss
- Date lost: 14 June 1869 (some sources report 16 July 1869)
- Location: Likely western Lake Erie or lower Lake Huron (precise site not documented)
- Crew: No loss of life reported
Vessel Type
The William Goodnow was a wooden two-masted schooner, a typical Great Lakes workhorse used for general cargo including grain, lumber, or coal.
Description
Constructed with oak frames and pine planking, she featured a single deck, relatively shallow draft, and broad beam to maximize cargo capacity. Her rig was standard for a schooner of the mid-1860s: fore-and-aft sails on two masts.
History
Built in 1866, the William Goodnow operated as a cargo schooner in the busy lake trades of the late 1860s. On the night of 14 June 1869 (with some reports giving 16 July 1869), she was lying to and awaiting a tow in darkness, likely near a common shipping lane. During the night, the bark 38 PM G (as coded in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, probably shorthand for a bark’s registration or name) rammed her amidships.
The collision caused severe hull damage. She quickly flooded and sank, but there was no loss of life among her two-man crew. The collision was attributed to poor visibility and lack of sufficient lookout while awaiting the tow.
Final Dispositions
Declared a total loss after sinking; no salvage documented.
Located By & Date Found
No modern discovery of the wreck has been reported, and its precise site remains uncharted.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Great Lakes Vessels Index (BGSU)
Conclusion
The loss of the William Goodnow reflects the serious collision hazards on the Great Lakes in the era before reliable night lighting and coordinated traffic control. The schooner’s destruction while lying to for a tow is a vivid reminder of how crowded and dangerous these shipping lanes were, especially in poor visibility.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Wooden schooner
- Great Lakes collision
- 19th-century shipping
- Tow traffic
- Lake Erie
- Lake Huron
- William Goodnow
- Maritime history