Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Annie M. Peterson
  • Former Names: None recorded
  • Official Registry Number: Not documented
  • Date Built & Launched: 1874
  • Measurements: 191 feet (58.2 metres) in length
  • Date Lost: November 18, 1914
  • Location of Loss: Approximately 20 miles (32 km) north of Grand Marais, Michigan, Lake Superior
  • Cargo at Time of Loss: Lumber
  • Voyage Details: En route from Baraga, Michigan to Tonawanda, New York, in tow of the Steamship C.F. Curtis
  • Final Disposition: Presumed wrecked and sunk; exact location remains unknown
  • Located By & Date Found: Not yet located
  • NOTMARs & Advisories: No current navigational warnings or advisories

Vessel Type

Wooden-hulled Schooner Barge

Description

The Annie M. Peterson was a large wooden Schooner Barge constructed in 1874 for the lumber trade on the Great Lakes. At 191 feet (58.2 metres) in length, she was capable of carrying significant volumes of timber. Like many Schooner barges of her time, she lacked independent propulsion and relied on steam tugs and freighters for towage. These barges were a crucial part of the 19th and early 20th century bulk cargo fleet.

History

On November 18, 1914, the Annie M. Peterson was under tow alongside another Barge, the Selden E. Marvin, by the Steamship C.F. Curtis. All three vessels were owned by the Edward Hines Lumber Company and loaded with lumber for transport from Baraga, Michigan, to Tonawanda, New York. They sailed into a violent Lake Superior storm known for fierce winds, large waves, and snow squalls.

During the storm, all three vessels were lost with no survivors among the 28 crew members. Wreckage and the remains of crew members washed ashore near Grand Marais in the aftermath. While the wrecks of the Curtis and Marvin were found in 2021 by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society in deep water off Grand Marais, the Annie M. Peterson has yet to be discovered. It is believed she broke up and sank in the same storm after parting from her Towline.

Final Disposition

The Annie M. Peterson Foundered in a gale and was lost with all hands. Despite modern searches, her final resting place has not been identified. She is presumed to lie in deep water off the southern shore of Lake Superior.

Located By & Date Found

The wreck has not yet been located. Only debris and bodies were recovered following the 1914 storm.

NOTMARs & Advisories

There are no current Notices to Mariners or advisories regarding this wreck. The presumed site is in deep water and does not present a hazard to navigation.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The Annie M. Peterson is part of one of the most tragic and haunting shipwreck incidents on Lake Superior. Lost along with the C.F. Curtis and Selden E. Marvin, she symbolizes the extreme risks of Great Lakes navigation, especially in late-season storms. Her undiscovered wreck continues to be a point of interest for maritime historians and wreck hunters. Finding her would complete the story of the 1914 disaster that claimed 28 lives and three vessels in a single storm.

Suggested Keywords, Categories, and Glossary Terms

Keywords: Annie M. Peterson, Lake Superior shipwreck, 1914 storm, Schooner Barge, C.F. Curtis, Selden E. Marvin, Great Lakes wreck
Categories: Great Lakes Shipwrecks, Maritime Disasters of the 1910s, Lumber Transport Vessels
Glossary Terms:

  • Schooner Barge: A cargo-carrying vessel with sailing rigging, usually towed rather than self-propelled.
  • Foundered: Sunk due to filling with water.
  • Towline: A line or cable used to pull one vessel behind another.

This wreck is not accessible for shore diving and remains undiscovered.