Schooner (Built 1856 – Lost 1856)

Identification & Site Information

  • Name(s): Bohemian
  • Official Build: Wooden Schooner
  • Dimensions:
    • Length: 137 ft / 41.75 m
    • Beam: 26 ft / 7.92 m
    • Depth of hold: 11 ft / 3.35 m
    • Gross Tonnage: 372.54 tons
  • Rig & Propulsion: Sail-powered, two-masted Schooner (though some records list “0 masts,” likely a clerical error)
  • Hull Material: Wood
  • Home Port: Oswego, New York
  • Registry & Builder:
    • Builder: Fitzhugh & Littlejohn, Oswego, NY
    • Year built: 1856
    • Launched: Buffalo, NY, June 1856
  • Location of Loss:
    • Body of water: Lake Michigan
    • County: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin
    • Nearest City: Port Washington, WI
    • Coordinates: N 43° 22.814′ / W 087° 52.076′
    • Depth: Unknown – remains not located

Cargo & Commercial Role

  • On her maiden commercial voyages, the Bohemian carried high-value industrial cargo for P.W. Gates & Co. (a Chicago iron foundry and machinery firm):
  • Approximate cargo value: $10,000 USD (1856 dollars)

Service History

  • Launched June 1856, Bohemian had an exceptionally short service life of 4 months.
  • She was part of the rapid expansion of Great Lakes industrial shipping during the 1850s, specializing in heavy freight such as iron and machinery.

Final Voyage & Wreck Event

  • Date of Loss: October 22, 1856
  • Route: Oswego, NY → Chicago, IL (via Lakes Erie, Huron, and Michigan)
  • Event Summary (per Milwaukee Sentinel, October 27, 1856, p. 2, col. 5):
    1. At daylight, townspeople at Port Washington observed a Schooner driving toward shore south of the South Pier.
    2. The vessel grounded bow-first, creating a temporary lee for a lifeboat launch.
    3. The Port Washington Life Boat crew made multiple trips, rescuing all 10 crew members.
    4. The captain and mate were the last to leave, standard maritime practice.
  • The Bohemian broke apart in heavy surf; declared Total Loss.
  • Casualties: None.

Post-Wreck Notes

  • Portions of the cargo were recovered in 1930 during Port Washington harbor dredging, including iron and metal fittings.
  • The Hull and primary wreck site remain undiscovered.

Located By & Site Status

  • Not located.
  • No modern dive records or confirmed sonar imaging exist.
  • Likely dispersed or buried in shifting sand south of the historic Port Washington pier.

Research Gaps & Archival Sources

  • Wisconsin Historical Society Maritime Preservation & Archaeology Program maintains the primary record.
  • Next steps for researchers:
    • Side-scan sonar survey south of the old South Pier.
    • Archive review of Buffalo and Oswego Shipyards (1856 launch lists) for enrollment and owner details.
    • Insurance and cargo claim records for P.W. Gates & Co., Chicago.

Conclusion

The Bohemian is a classic example of mid‑19th‑century Great Lakes industrial shipping, lost during a rapid transition toward heavier, steam-powered freight. Although all hands survived, the vessel’s Total Loss after only 4 months in service highlights the perils of fall navigation on Lake Michigan. The undiscovered wreck site remains a potential archaeological target for future surveys near Port Washington.

Keywords / Categories

Lake Michigan; Ozaukee County; Schooner; wood Hull; 1856; cargo: Pig Iron & machinery; wrecked; gale; Total Loss; undiscovered wreck; maritime archaeology target.