Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Escanaba
  • Registration Number(s): Official Number 130488 (original registration later re-used)
  • Date Built and Launched: 1866, by A. Anderson in Marine City, Michigan
  • Measurements: Length 282 ft (86 m); beam 38 ft (11.6 m); depth 19 ft (5.8 m); approx. 1,500 GRT
  • Date Lost: June 17, 1883
  • Place Lost: Coral Reef (sometimes called Anxious Point Reef), Lake Michigan — made under the ownership of Goodrich Line, off Grand Haven
  • Cause of Loss: Blown onto reef during severe storm/gale
  • Cargo: Approx. 850 tons of iron ore
  • Crew: No lives lost
  • Ownership: Goodrich Transportation Company, Chicago

Vessel Type

Wooden-hulled three-masted bulk freighter and scow-Barge Steamer—purpose-built to carry iron ore on the Great Lakes.

Description

At 282 ft (86 m), the Escanaba was among the larger wooden freighters of her era. Powered by steam and equipped with auxiliary sails, she transported bulk ore from Upper Peninsula docks to Michigan and Ohio ports. Her stout build and considerable cargo capacity made her a common sight on heavy lake traffic.

History

After her 1866 launch, Escanaba regularly hauled iron ore from Escanaba, Michigan, to Lake Erie region steel docks. In the early summer of 1883, during a severe gale—described locally as one of the fiercest storms of the season—she departed with 850 tons of ore. While navigating near Grand Haven, she was driven onto a reef at Anxious Point (also called Coral Reef). The impact punctured Hull plates and she filled rapidly. Despite efforts, she broke apart under wave action and came to rest on the submerged rock shelf.

Final Disposition

Declared a Total Loss after breaking apart and settling on the reef. Hull remains scattered and partly buried beneath shallow water, with visible timber preserved in places.

Located By & Date Found

The wreck site is well-known, located on the reef approximately 1.5 miles (2.5 km) south of the Anxious Point lighthouse at Grand Haven. Portions of her remains, including ribs and Hull framing, remain in depths between 15–25 ft (4.5–7.5 m). The site has been visited by divers and is periodically charted in local marine surveys.

NOTMARs & Advisories

  • Reef is well-charted due to former wrecks; marked on navigation charts but no specific buoy exists.
  • Hazardous area during fresh-water storms—remain cautious while diving or boating.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The loss of Escanaba illustrates both the power of weather-driven wave action and navigational hazards along Lake Michigan’s western shoreline. Her remains serve as a tangible wreck diving opportunity, offering distressed Hull structures and historical insight into iron-ore transport vessels of the late 19th century.

Keywords: Escanaba, Coral Reef, Anxious Point, iron ore Steamer, grounding
Categories: Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan • 19th‑Century Bulk Freighters • Storm-related losses
Glossary Terms:

  • Bulk Freighter: A vessel designed to carry loose, unpackaged cargo (like ore).
  • Scow-Barge: A flat-bottomed vessel intended to be towed, often without its own propulsion.
  • Reef Grounding: When a vessel impacts a submerged rock formation and becomes stranded or breached.