Shipwrecks
The Car Ferry No. 2
Vessel Type: Train Car Ferry
Date Built: 1895
Where Built: West Bay, MI
Size: The ship measured 309.9 ft (94.5 m) in length by 44.2 ft (13.5 m) abeam with a draft of 12 ft (3.7 m) and weighed 1548 gross tons.
Usage: Transport train cars across Lake Michigan and was part of the Lake Michigan (Railroad) Car Ferry Transportation Company fleet.
Date Sunk: *September 29, 1906
Reason for Loss: Capsized during a storm
Depth of Wreck: 45 feet
Nearest City: South Chicago, Illinois
Details: Capsized after being released by the tugboat J.C. Ames. Three lives were lost.
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The F.W. Wheeler
Vessel Type: Bulk Freighter
Date Built: 1887
Where Built: West Bay City, MI
Size: The ship measured 265.5 feet in length by 40.5 feet abeam with a draft of 19.4 feet, and weighed 2300 gross tons.
Usage: Cargo transport, industrial materials such as coal
Date Sunk: *December 3, 1893
Reason for Loss: Stranded during a winter storm
Depth of Wreck: 15 feet
Nearest City: Michigan City, Indiana
Details: It was carrying a cargo of 2,100 tons of coal from Buffalo on its way to Chicago. Local lifesaving crew rescued all 16 sailors in two trips, but ship was a total loss.
The George F. Williams
Vessel Type: Bulk Freighter
Date Built: *July 24, 1889
Where Built: West Bay City, Michigan
Size: The ship measured 280 feet in length by 41.4 feet abeam with a draft of 21.3 feet, and weighed 1888 gross tons.
Usage: Transport of commercial and industrial goods across Lake Michigan
Date Sunk: *April 21, 1915
Reason for Loss: Abandoned and sunk
Depth of Wreck: 15 feet
Nearest City: Whiting, Indiana
Details: The vessel was abandoned in 1913 and was eventually towed offshore and sunk.
Horace A. Tuttle
Vessel Type: Bulk Freighter
Date Built: 1887
Where Built: Unknown
Size: The ship measured 250 feet in length by 38.7 feet abeam with a draft of 20 feet, and the ship weight is currently unknown.
Usage: Transport of agricultural products such as corn
Date Sunk: * October 26, 1898
Reason for Loss: Stranded during a severe storm in a storm.
Depth of Wreck: 24 feet
Nearest City: Michigan City, Indiana
Details: Following this shipwreck, rotten corn washed up on beach for many years. No lives were lost because all 14 crew members were rescued by the local lifesaving station.
J.D. Marshall
Vessel Type: Cannaler
Date Built: 1891
Where Built: South Haven, MI
Size: The ship measured 154.5 feet in length by 33.5 feet abeam with a draft of 12 feet, and weighed 531 gross tons.
Usage: Transport of commercial and industrial goods, such as lumber. Later, the vessel was converted to a sand-sucker or sand barge.
Date Sunk: *June 11, 1911
Reason for Loss: Capsized in a storm.
Depth of Wreck: 29 feet
Nearest City: Indiana Dunes State Park, Indiana
Details: Four lives were lost when the vessel sunk. After capsizing, the vessel floated close to shore for several days before sinking. The company that owned the Muskegon used the insurance money from that loss to buy the J. D. Marshall.
The Material Service Barge
Vessel Type: Self-unloading barge
Date Built: 1929 by Leatham D. Smith for the Smith-Putnam Navigation Company
Where Built: Sturgeon Bay, WI
Size: The ship measured 239.7 feet in length by 40.1 feet abeam with a draft of 13.9 feet, and weighed 1077 gross tons, or 736 net tons
Usage: Built specifically to transport sand and gravel from Lake Michigan to docks up the Chicago River
Date Sunk: 1936
Reason for Loss: Foundered during a storm
Depth of Wreck: 35 feet
Nearest City: South Chicago, Illinois
Details: On the fateful last journey, the ship departed Lockport, Illinois, headed for South Chicago. Captain Charlie D. Brown commanded the vessel; he did not survive. Reportedly, a large wave washed over the ship, causing it to list sharply, before much of the crew could react and get free of their bunks. At the time of the disaster, the ship had a cargo of 2,500 tons of sand or gravel. It was owned by Material Service Company of Chicago; their loss was estimated at $500,000 in 1936.
The Muskegon (also known as the Peerless)
Vessel Type: Package Freighter
Date Built: 1872
Where Built: Unknown
Size: The ship measured 211 feet in length by 39.9 feet abeam with a draft of 12.5 feet, and weighed 1199 gross tons.
Usage: First as a passenger-steamer ship called the Peerless and then as a transport for commercial goods.
Date Sunk: * October 6, 1910
Reason for Loss: Burned while at dock and then was towed out into lake Michigan where it was abandoned.
Depth of Wreck: 32 feet
Nearest City: Michigan City, Indiana
Details: The vessel ran between Chicago and Duluth when it was a passenger ship. In 1908, the vessel was renamed the Muskegon and converted to a bulk freighter. Sometime later it was re-converted to a sandsucker. No lives were lost when the ship burned.
Unknown No. 3
Vessel Type: Canaller
Date Built: Unknown, circa 19th to 20th century
Where Built: Unknown at this time
Size: Remaining portion of the main frame measured 83.4 feet in length by 34.6 feet abeam. It was estimated that this vessel would have been 160 to 200 feet long.
Usage: Likely, bulk cargo, such as lumber
Date Sunk: Unknown
Reason for Loss: Unknown
Depth of Wreck: Shoreline, possibly buried as of 2011
Nearest City: Pines, Indiana
Details: Only a portion of the main frame was identified in the 1980s
Unknown No. 4
Vessel Type: Vessel is a small wooden vessel,
possibly a schooner or a canaller
Date Built: Unknown, circa 19th to 20th century
Where Built: Unknown
Size: The remaining portion of the main frame measured 86 feet long by 18 to 20 feet abeam with a draft of 6 feet and an estimated weight of 2 gross tons
Usage: Commercial or industrial transport
Date Sunk: Unknown
Reason for Loss: Unknown
Depth of Wreck: Shoreline to 5 feet deep
Nearest City: Portage, Indiana
Details: Referred to as the "Alpha" wreck in the 1990s
Unknown No. 5
Vessel Type: Work Barge
Date Built: Unknown, circa 19th to 20th century
Where Built: Unknown
Date Built:
Where Built: Unknown
Size:
Usage: Commercial or industrial transport
Date Sunk: Unknown
Reason for Loss: Unknown
Depth of Wreck: 4 feet
Nearest City: Gary, Indiana
Details: Incorporated with wreck Unknown No. 6 as one archaeological site. The vessel consists of three main structural parts and a large debris field.
Unknown No. 6
Vessel Type: Work barge
Date Built: Unknown, circa 19th to 20th century
Where Built: Unknown
Size: Unknown
Usage: Commercial or industrial transport
Date sunk: Unknown
Reason for Loss: Unknown
Depth of Wreck: 10 feet
Nearest City: Gary, Indiana
Details: Incorporated with wreck Unknown No. 5 as one archaeological site
Unknown No. 7
Vessel Type: Suggested bulk cargo wooden canaller
Date Built: Unknown, circa 19th to 20th century
Where Built: Unknown
Size: Existing section of the bow measured 40 feet
Usage: Unknown
Date Sunk: Unknown
Reason for Loss: Unknown
Depth of Wreck: 3 feet
Nearest City: Pines, Indiana
Details: Unknown
Unknown No. 8
Vessel Type: Suggested bulk cargo wooden canaller
Date Built: Unknown at this time (19th or 20th century)
Where Built: Unknown
Size: Section of the bow measured 13 feet long, suggested to have measured at least 100 ft.
Usage: Unknown
Date Sunk: Unknown
Reason for Loss: Unknown
Depth of Wreck: 3 feet
Nearest City: Fumessville, Indiana
Details: Unknown
Unknown No. 9
Vessel Type: Suggested bulk cargo wooden canaller
Date Built: Unknown, circa 19th to 20th century
Where Built: Unknown
Size: Section of the bow measured 13 feet long, suggested to have measured at least 100 ft.
Usage: Unknown
Date Sunk: Unknown
Reason for Loss: Unknown
Depth of Wreck: 3 feet
Nearest City: Fumessville, Indiana
Details: Unknown
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