Other recorded Lake Erie losses
These 118[1] losses are recorded in published lists but have too little documented history for a full page here. Each line names its source. Where the source's own short description is shown, it appears in quotation marks with credit.
| Name | Year | What happened (our summary) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Young Phoenix | 1818 | Sank off Long Point. “Sank off Long Point, Lake Erie.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Henry Roop | 1843 | Lost in a storm. “A schooner lost in a storm.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Chesapeake | 1847 | Lost. | [2] |
| Indiana | 1848 | Lost to fire off Conneaut. “Ran aground and burned off Conneaut.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Henry Clay | 1851 | Ran aground off Long Point. “The passenger and package freighter grounded off of Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Arches | 1852 | Lost in a storm off Long Point. “Also known as Oneida, the package freighter sank in a storm off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Saint Louis | 1852 | Ran aground off Kelleys Island. “The steamer ran aground off Kelleys Island” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Wisconsin | 1853 | Lost. | [2] |
| America | 1854 | Ran aground. “The sidewheel steamer ran aground on Pelee Island.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Trade Wind | 1854 | Sank after a collision off Long Point. “A schooner that collided with Sir Charles Napier off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Fintry | 1855 | Lost after an explosion off Port Stanley. “Sank following a boiler explosion off Port Stanley.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Northern Indiana | 1856 | Lost to fire near Point au Pelee. “Caught fire near Point au Pelee, Lake Erie, while en route from Buffalo to Monroe, Michigan. 56 lives lost.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Oxford | 1856 | Sank after a collision off Long Point. “Sank after a collision off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Rebecca Foster | 1857 | Sank off Long Point. “Foundered off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| New Brunswick | 1858 | Sank off Point Pelee. “Sank off Point Pelee.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Jersey City | 1860 | Sank off Long Point. “Foundered off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Mount Vernon | 1860 | Sank. “Sank of Point Pelee” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Washington Irving | 1860 | Sank off Dunkirk. “Sank off Dunkirk, New York.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Zadock Pratt | 1860 | Sank. “Sank after striking the wreck of the Mount Vernon.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Pocahontas | 1862 | Sank off Long Point. “Foundered off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Jennie P. King | 1866 | Sank off Long Point. “Foundered off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Empire | 1870 | Ran aground off Long Point. “Ran aground off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| St. James | 1870 | Sank off Long Point. “Sank of unknown cause off Long Point in Lake Erie; discovered 1984.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Willis | 1872 | Sank after a collision. “The schooner sank in a collision with the schooner Elizabeth Jones.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Issac W. Nicholson | 1873 | Sank. “The schooner foundered south of Point Pelee” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Bay Coal Schooner | 1874 | Sank off Bay Village. “The schooner suddenly sank off Bay Village, Ohio. Wreck believed to be Industry, which sank in 1874.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Exchange | 1874 | Ran aground. “The schooner ran aground on Kelleys Island” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Wild Rover | 1874 | Sank off Long Point. “Foundered off Long Point, Ontario.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Persian | 1875 | Lost. | [2] |
| Sciota | 1876 | Sank after a collision. “Sank in a collision with the steamer Arctic” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| British Lion | 1877 | Ran aground off Long Point. “Ran aground off Long Point. The same storm claimed Mediera and Elize A. Turner.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Eliza R. Turner | 1877 | Ran aground off Long Point. “Ran aground off Long Point. The same storm claimed the British Lion and Madiera.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Madiera | 1877 | Ran aground off Long Point. “Ran aground off Long Point. The same storm claimed British Lion and Elize A. Turner.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Tioga | 1877 | Lost to fire in the Pelee Passage. “The steamer burned and sank in the Pelee Passage” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Valentine | 1877 | Lost in a storm. “The schooner foundered in a storm.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| J.G. McGrath | 1878 | Sank off Long Point. “Foundered off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Eldorado | 1880 | Sank. “Sank off the mouth of Erie harbor.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Brunswick | 1881 | Sank after a collision. “The steamer sank following a collision with the schooner Carlingford” (Wikipedia) |
[2] [3] |
| Carlingford | 1881 | Sank after a collision. “The schooner sank following a collision with the steamer Brunswick.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] [3] |
| Edmond Fitzgerald | 1883 | Ran aground off Long Point. “Ran aground off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Siberia | 1883 | Ran aground off Long Point. “A schooner that ran aground off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| William H. Vanderbilt | 1883 | Ran aground off Long Point. “Ran aground off Long Point, Ontario.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| George Worthington | 1887 | Sank after a collision. “The schooner sank after a collision.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| C.H. Plummer | 1888 | Lost to fire off Kellys Island. “The scow burnt and sank off of Kellys Island.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Paddy Murphy | 1888 | Lost to fire. “The tug caught fire and was beached and burned to the waterline.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Charger | 1890 | Sank after a collision. “The schooner sank following a collision.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Fanny L. Jones | 1890 | Lost in a storm near Cleveland. “The schooner sank in a storm near Cleveland.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| John B. Griffin | 1890 | Lost to fire. “The tug burned and sank.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Passaic | 1891 | Sank off Dunkirk. “The steamer sank off Dunkirk.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] [4] |
| Dominion | 1892 | Sank. “The dredger sank south of Wheatley Harbor while under tow.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Angler | 1893 | Lost to fire in Long Point. “A tug that caught fire and sank in Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| C.B. Benson | 1893 | Lost in a storm. “Sank in a massive gale on her way to Detroit.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] [5] |
| David Stewart | 1893 | Lost in a storm in Pigeon Bay. “The schooner broke apart in a storm in Pigeon Bay after trying to take shelter from a storm.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| David Vance | 1893 | Sank after a collision. “The schooner sank after a collision with the barge Lizzie.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Joseph Paige | 1893 | Ran aground off Long Point. “Ran aground off Long Point, in a gale that also took Wocoken.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Riverside | 1893 | Schooner lost with all seven aboard about 30 miles northeast of Cleveland in the October 1893 gale; the wreck was located in 2007. | [5] |
| Colonel Cook | 1894 | Ran aground near Avon Lake. “The schooner ran aground near Avon Lake.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Grand Traverse | 1896 | Sank after a collision. “The bulk carrier sank in a collision with the Livingstone.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Little Wissahickon | 1896 | Sank off Rondeau Point. “Sank off Rondeau Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| 104 (whaleback barge) | 1898 | Broke away from the tug Alva B. in a storm and was wrecked on Cleveland's west breakwater; the crew were taken off by the Cleveland life-saving crew. She was the first whaleback lost on the Great Lakes. | [6] |
| H.G. Cleveland | 1899 | Sank off Lorain. “A three-mast schooner carrying stone that sprang a leak and sank 4 mi off of Lorain. Rescued by City of Detroit and the tugboat Thomas…” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Niagara | 1899 | Ran aground off Long Point. “Ran aground off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Charles Foster | 1900 | Lost in a storm near Erie. “The bulk barge sank in a gale near Erie” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Chicago Board of Trade | 1900 | Lost in a storm. “The schooner sank in a storm.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Specular | 1900 | Sank off Pele Island. “The bulk carrier sank off Pele Island” (Wikipedia) |
[2] [7] |
| Swallow | 1901 | Sank off Long Point. “The lumber carrier foundered off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Amaretta Mosher | 1902 | Lost in a storm near Port Clinton. “The schooner sank in a storm near Port Clinton.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| C.B. Lockwood | 1902 | Sank. “Discovered to have sunk below Lake Erie's bottom.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| George Dunbar | 1902 | Sank off Kelleys Island. “The bulk carrier sank off Kelleys Island.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| H.A. Barr | 1902 | Sank off Point Stanley. “The barge sank off Point Stanley.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| William H. Stevens | 1902 | Lost to fire off Ashtabula. “The bulk carrier burned and sank off Ashtabula.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Charles H. Davis | 1903 | Sank near Cleveland. “The wooden steamer sank after springing a leak near Cleveland” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| General Franz Sigel | 1903 | Sank near Monroe. “The schooner sank near Monroe after springing a lake.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Cascade | 1904 | Sank. “The tug sank after encountering ice.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Siberia | 1905 | Ran aground off Long Point. “Ran aground off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Tasmania | 1905 | Sank off Pt Pelee. “The bulk carrier sank off Pt Pelee.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Algeria | 1906 | Lost in a storm. “The schooner broke apart in a storm.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Armenia | 1906 | Sank. “The schooner barge sank after springing a leak” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Charles B. Packard | 1906 | Sank. “Sank after striking the wreck of the schooner barge Armenia” (Wikipedia) |
[2] [8] |
| City of Venice | 1906 | Sank after a collision. “Sank in a collision with the steamer Seguin.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Conemaugh | 1906 | Ran aground off Pt Pele. “The passenger and package freighter ran aground in a gale off Pt Pele.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Constitution | 1906 | Sank near Kellys Island. “The schooner sank near Kellys Island after springing a leak.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| M.J. Wilcox | 1906 | Sank near Kingsville. “The schooner sank after spring a leak near Kingsville.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Mabel Wilson | 1906 | Ran aground. “The schooner ran aground on a breakwater after her towline snapped.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Mystic | 1907 | Sank off Long Point. “Sank off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Pascal P. Pratt | 1908 | Ran aground off Long Point. “Ran aground off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Charles Spademan | 1909 | Lost. | [2] |
| F.A. Meyer | 1909 | Sank. “The wooden bulk carrier sank after ice cutting into the hull.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| George Stone | 1909 | Ran aground off Pt Pele. “The bulk carrier ran aground off Pt Pele” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Penelope | 1909 | Lost to fire. “The tug caught fire and was grounded and burned to the waterline.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Sir C.T Van Straubenzie | 1909 | Lost. | [2] |
| W.C. Richardson | 1909 | Cargo ship driven onto a shoal about 1.5 miles off Buffalo in the December 1909 gale; her cook and four crewmen drowned. | [9] |
| Lycoming | 1910 | Lost to fire in Morpeth. “The steamer burned at her dock in Morpeth.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Raleigh | 1911 | Ran aground off Wildwood Road. “During a storm, the rudder broke and she ran aground about 1 mi off Wildwood Road, Sherkston, Ontario in 30 ft of water.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| S.K. Martin | 1912 | Lost after an explosion off Erie. “The bulk carrier sank off Erie after her boiler exploded.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| C. W Elphicke | 1913 | Ran aground off Long Point. “Ran aground off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Colonial | 1914 | Ran aground. “The wooden steamer stranded and broke up.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Philip D. Armour | 1915 | Sank off Erie. “The barge foundered off Erie after her towline broke.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] [10] |
| Case | 1917 | Ran aground. “The bulk carrier ran aground on East Sister Island.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Magnetic | 1917 | Sank off Long Point. “Sank off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Jay Gould | 1918 | Lost in a storm near Pt Pelee. “The bulk carrier sank in a storm near Pt Pelee.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] [11] |
| Canobie | 1921 | Lost in a storm near Erie. “The steamer sank in a storm near Erie.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Lawrence | 1921 | Ran aground off Long Point. “Ran aground off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| City of Dresden | 1922 | Ran aground off Long Point. “Ran aground off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| John J. Barlum | 1922 | Sank off Kellys Island. “The schooner barge sank off of Kellys Island.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Toledo | 1924 | Lost. | [2] |
| Howard S. Gerken | 1926 | Sand dredge that foundered in a storm about seven miles off Erie, Pennsylvania, bound for Buffalo; four crewmen died. The wreck was found by sonar in 2009. “The sand dredge sank in a storm near Erie.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] [12] |
| Smith | 1930 | Sank off Long Point. “A tugboat that sank under tow off Long Point, Lake Erie.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| J.J. Boland Jr. | 1932 | Sank near Westfield. “The bulk carrier sank near Westfield due to her hatches being open.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Aycliffe Hall | 1936 | Sank off Long Point. “Sank off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Wilma | 1936 | Sank off Port Dover. “The fishing vessel sank off Port Dover” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Cecil J. | 1944 | Lost to fire. “The tugboat was scuttled after it caught fire.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Morania | 1951 | Lost. “Also includes Penobscot. Closest shipwreck to Buffalo River” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Brown Brothers | 1959 | Sank off Long Point. “Sank off Long Point.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Robert | 1982 | Sank after a collision off Chatham-Kent. “The tug sank after a collision off Chatham-Kent.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Jorge B. | 1983 | Sank off Pt Pele. “The fishing vessel sank off Pt Pele.” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
| Andrew B | 1995 | Lost. | [2] |
| 17 Fathom wreck | Lost. “Lying on a silt bottom at 105 ft” (Wikipedia) |
[2] |
Wikipedia's list is a starting point, not a final record: it contains some date errors that the full pages here point out. Corrections are welcome.
Look, don't take
Look, don't take. Shipwrecks and everything on them are protected by law; removing or disturbing anything can be a crime.
- United States: under the Abandoned Shipwreck Act (43 U.S.C. § 2105) the U.S. claims title to abandoned shipwrecks embedded in a state's submerged lands, or resting on them and eligible for the National Register, and transfers that title to the state.
- Ohio: R.C. 1506.32 requires a permit from the Director of Natural Resources, approved by the Ohio History Connection, to recover, alter, salvage or destroy abandoned property on, in or near a submerged watercraft or aircraft in Lake Erie.
- Michigan: MCL 324.76107 forbids recovering, altering or destroying abandoned property on Great Lakes bottomlands without a joint state permit; penalties run from a misdemeanor to a felony punishable by up to 10 years.
- New York: Education Law § 233 makes it a class A misdemeanor to investigate, excavate, remove, injure or destroy objects of historical or archaeological interest on, in or under state-owned lands without the written permission of the Commissioner of Education.
- Pennsylvania: title to abandoned shipwrecks in Pennsylvania's part of Lake Erie passes to the Commonwealth under the federal Abandoned Shipwreck Act, and state permission is required to disturb them.
- Ontario: under the Ontario Heritage Act no one may alter a marine archaeological site or remove an artifact from it without a provincial licence; fines for breaking this rule can reach $1,000,000.
Diving Lake Erie wrecks is dangerous: cold water, poor visibility, depth, entanglement and boat traffic. Nothing here is dive guidance or a dive position. Dive only with proper training, a qualified operator and current information from the groups that maintain moorings.
Sources
- Lake Erie Gazetteer data: this site's own compiled records (lighthouses, shipwrecks, storms), Lake Erie Gazetteer (WeldonPC). Accessed . Values computed by us from this data.
- List of shipwrecks in the Great Lakes (Lake Erie section), Wikipedia. Accessed .
- HCGL vessel record: BRUNSWICK, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University. Accessed .
- HCGL vessel record: PASSAIC, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University. Accessed .
- List of shipwrecks in 1893, Wikipedia. Accessed .
- 104 (barge), Wikipedia. Accessed .
- HCGL vessel record: SPECULAR, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University. Accessed .
- HCGL vessel record: ELFIN-MERE, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University. Accessed .
- List of shipwrecks in 1909, Wikipedia. Accessed .
- HCGL vessel record: ARMOUR, PHILIP D., Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University. Accessed .
- HCGL vessel record: GOULD, JAY, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University. Accessed .
- SS Howard S. Gerken, Wikipedia. Accessed .