|
Lumberman
 South Milwaukee, WI
|
Max Depth: 61-70ft/19-21m
Entry Type: Boat
Bottom Composition: Sand/Shells
Aquatic Life: Plenty To See
|
|
|
|
|
The Lumberman was an old 127ft wooden schooner used to haul lumber between Southern Wisconsin and Chicago. On April 7, 1893, while on its way north from Chicago, a gale force wind capsized the Lumberman off from Oak Creek and sent her slowly to the bottom. As she sank, the Lumberman righted itself and the masts were left protruding out of the water. Because of the hazard they presented to navigation, the masts were removed. The Lumberman was rediscovered in 1983. Due to its distance from Milwaukee, the wreck is rarely visited and many of its artifacts remain undisturbed.
Maximum Depth: 70 feet
Four miles offshore from this spot, 60 feet beneath the surface of Lake Michigan, lies the well-preserved wreck of the Lumberman. For three decades, the three-masted wooden schooner hauled lumber, barrel staves, railroad ties, and other forest products from isolated towns on Lake Michigan to the hungry markets of Chicago. On April 6, 1893, Captain Orin Vose was sailing northward for the first load of the season. It was his first trip in command of the Lumberman. Suddenly, fierce southwest winds slammed into the ship. The crew frantically tried to shorten sail, but the winds were too strong. The Lumberman capsized and sank. Entangled in the rigging, Captain Vose almost drowned. But he and the crew climbed to the top of the masts, which protruded above the water when the Lumberman settled on the bottom. Three hours later, the passing steamer Menominee rescued the sailors from their cold, precarious perch.
Coords pulled from Wisconsin Historical Society:
Lat: 42º 52.193’
Lon: -87º 45.411-