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
[shotline_reference_links slug=”william-sturgis-us-26220″ title=”References & Links”]
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.
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.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: William Sturgis
- Official Number: 26220
- Year Built: 1853, Cleveland, Ohio (by Lafrinier & Stevens)
- Type: Wooden barkentine (three-masted sailing vessel)
- Dimensions: 41.8 m (137 ft) length × 7.7 m (25.2 ft) beam × 3.4 m (11 ft) depth
- Tonnage: 364 tons (old measurement); capacity: ~4,000 barrels of flour
- Final Location: North of the harbor entrance at Ludington, Michigan, Lake Michigan
- Loss Date: 29 September 1881
- Loss Method: Stranded and sank during a gale; wind shift caused the vessel to break up
- Cargo at Loss: In ballast
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 & Chronology
- 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.
Located By & Date Found
No documented discovery or underwater survey has confirmed remains. The wreck site has not been charted.
Notmars & Advisories
None—wreck predated formal navigational advisories; no modern hazards linked to the site.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (WordPress) entry provides comprehensive loss details (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Enrollment, ownership, and repair histories found in Board of Lake Underwriters Marine Directory, National Archives, Steamboat Era in the Muskokas (Tatley)
Conclusion
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.
Keywords & Glossary
- Wooden barkentine
- Great Lakes sail freighter
- 1881 Ludington wreck
- Balm toward Ludington
- Bulk cargo schooner