Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

William Sturgis US 26220

Explore the wreck of the William Sturgis, a wooden barkentine that sank in 1881 during a gale near Ludington, Michigan.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: William Sturgis
  • Type: Wooden barkentine (three-masted sailing vessel)
  • Year Built: 1853
  • Builder: Lafrinier & Stevens
  • Dimensions: 137 ft (41.8 m) length × 25.2 ft (7.7 m) beam × 11 ft (3.4 m) depth
  • Registered Tonnage: 364 tons (old measurement); capacity: ~4,000 barrels of flour
  • Location: North of the harbor entrance at Ludington, Michigan
  • Official Number: 26220
  • Number of Masts: Three

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

A sturdy, large-capacity barkentine, featuring a mixed square and fore-and-aft sail rig—ideal for bulk cargo such as flour, lumber, or general goods.

Description

Constructed with a single deck and robust wooden framing, she was capable of transporting large loads across the Great Lakes. Her design balanced power and cargo capacity, making her a durable yet agile freighter of her era.

History

  • 1854, May: Lost foremast in a Lake Michigan storm—early indication of heavy-season risk
  • 1854, Dec 4: Stranded at Black River, Ohio (Lake Erie)
  • 1860: Transferred ownership to Hinkley & Vilas, Chicago
  • 1862: Underwent major repairs
  • 1863: Owned by Wiley & Bros., Chicago
  • 1865: Extensive rebuild, tonnage raised to 263 gross
  • 1866: Owned by J. L. Higgie of Racine, Wisconsin
  • 1870, Sept 6: Collided with the schooner Mary B. Hale in the Straits of Mackinac
  • 1871: Another major repair
  • 1876: Owned by Gale et al., Chicago, still active as a schooner
  • 1881, Sept 29: During a gale, she attempted to enter Ludington harbour at night, became stranded in ballast, and sank. Shelter appeared imminent until wind shifted, driving her apart on the shoals (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Seeking My Roots).

Final Disposition

Stranded and sank north of Ludington harbor. Initially lodged in calm water, she broke up when wind shifted. Declared a total loss without further salvage recorded.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No documented discovery or underwater survey has confirmed remains. The wreck site has not been charted.

Resources & Links

References are being reviewed for this wreck.

The William Sturgis enjoyed nearly three decades of service across the Great Lakes, bearing witness to numerous storms, groundings, and collisions. Her demise on 29 September 1881 reflects the lingering peril of late-season shipping. Now broken by gale-driven waves north of Ludington, her legacy remains in archival records—it has not been located as a dive site or shipwreck preserve.