Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Christina Nilsson
  • Also spelled: Christine, Christina Neilson, Nilson
  • Official number: 125293
  • Year built: 1871, Manitowoc, Wisconsin by Hanson & Scove
  • Vessel type: Three‑masted wooden Schooner (trader classification)
  • Original owner: Charles M. Lindgren (Chicago)
  • Dimensions: 42.5 m (139 ft) length × 7.9 m (26 ft) beam × 3.4 m (11 ft) depth
  • Cargo capacity: ~575 tons of Pig Iron
  • Wreck location: Outer Reef at Baileys Harbour, Door County, Wisconsin (Lake Michigan)
  • Water depth at site: ~4.6 m (15 ft)
  • Loss date: 24 October 1884
  • Cause: Struck reef in violent storm and sank

Vessel Type

A typical post‑Civil War Great Lakes cargo Schooner, built for hauling bulk commodities like iron and grain—in essence, the “tractor‑trailers” of late-19th-century maritime freight.

Description

  • Wooden single-Deck Hull with three masts (square-rigged foremast, fore-and-aft main and mizzen)
  • Constructed with heavy framing and strong fastenings; well-preserved lower Hull remains visible today

History & Chronology

  • 3 Aug 1871: Launched in Manitowoc
  • 7 Aug 1871: Maiden voyage; enrolled in Chicago
  • 1873: Survived storm off Point Betsy; needed repairs
  • 1881–82: Maintenance and Keelson replacement in Manitowoc, improving insurance rating to A‑2
  • 23 Oct 1884: Departed Escanaba with 575 tons Pig Iron bound for Chicago
  • 24 Oct 1884: Caught in blizzard and gale-force winds; captain sought shelter at Baileys Harbor
  • 8:30 AM: Struck Outer Reef, sank immediately in 15 ft of water; crew of eight Abandoned ship, rescued via Yawl to shore (wisconsinshipwrecks.org, 2manitowoc.com, NPGallery, wisconsinshipwrecks.org, Wikipedia)

Final Disposition

The vessel was declared a Total Loss. A partial salvage effort (lifting ~250 tons of iron) was attempted through late 1884 but deemed unworthy of complete recovery; the Hull was left to break up over winter .

Located By & Date Found

The wreck has been documented and surveyed since 1997 by Wisconsin Historical Society and Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association. Lies upright on reef, in ~15 ft of water off the Old Baileys Harbor Lighthouse (wisconsinshipwrecks.org).

NOTMARs & Advisories

No modern navigational notices are associated with the site. It is publicly marked with a seasonal mooring buoy and considered a sanctioned underwater archaeological resource (Hazardous Materials Database).

Shore Dive & Snorkel Information

  • Access: Boat launch at Baileys Harbor municipal marina; marked mooring buoy
  • Depth: ~4.6 m (15 ft); ideal for snorkeling or shallow SCUBA
  • Conditions: Calm, often clear spring to fall; minor surge across reef
  • Features: Exposed ribs, planking, fastenings; secondary wreck fragment 12 ft deep nearby
  • Skill Level: Beginners (snorkeling) to intermediate divers
  • Hazards: Barnacle abrasion, boat traffic; depth and proximity to reef demand situational awareness
  • Safety: Dive flag recommended; monitoring local weather; DSS and Coast Guard contacts posted on-site (Hazardous Materials Database, wisconsinshipwrecks.org, NPGallery)
  • Best Season: June–September
  • Local Resources: Wisconsin Maritime Trails markers, Baileys Harbor dive operators, Wisconsin Historical Society info kiosks

Archaeological Significance

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2003 under criteria A and D (Hazardous Materials Database, Wikipedia). The site provides rare insight into the construction of late-19th-century Wisconsin-built schooners—rare survivors predating 1880. Notably the Hull framing, fastenings, and intact Bilge sections offer invaluable research and educational value (NPGallery).

Resources & Links

  • National Register documentation and Wisconsin Maritime Trails marker
  • Wisconsin Shipwrecks entries (vessel & site): Christina Nilsson (wisconsinshipwrecks.org)
  • Smithsonian article on recent misidentification of wrecks in area
  • YouTube feature by Baileys Harbor Historical Society (YouTube)

Conclusion

The Christina Nilsson was a substantial three-masted cargo Schooner engaged in bulk iron transport. Lost in a brief but brutal gale at the Outer Reef of Baileys Harbor, her shallow, intact remains now designate one of the most accessible and archaeologically valuable wrecks on the Great Lakes. With visible structural details and public educational support, the site stands as both a cautionary tale of maritime perils and a tangible classroom of 19th-century shipbuilding.

Keywords & Glossary Terms

  • Three-masted Schooner | Pig‑iron cargo | Reef grounding | Baileys Harbor wreck | National Register archaeological site | 19th-century Great Lakes construction | Shallow‑water dive site

Schooner Christina Nilsson Shipwreck – Baileys Harbor Tour