Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Fairfield
  • Year Built: 1846
  • Place Built: Niagara, Ontario
  • Final Location: Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin, Lake Michigan
  • Date Lost: 29 September 1869
  • Cause of Loss: Storm; vessel ran aground on a reef and broke up in heavy seas

Vessel Type

Wooden two-masted Schooner built for general cargo transport on the Great Lakes during the mid-19th century.

Description

  • Hull Material: Wood
  • Decks: 1
  • Length: 128 ft (39.01 m)
  • Beam: 26 ft (7.92 m)
  • Depth: 11 ft (3.35 m)
  • Tonnage (Old Style): 223 80/95
  • Builder: Louis Shickluna, a prominent Great Lakes shipbuilder
  • Masts: 2

History

  • 1846 (May 2): Launched at Oswego, NY and enrolled there
  • 1854: Re-enrolled at French Creek, NY
  • 1856: Rebuilt but retained original tonnage
  • 1858 (Jan): Dragged ashore at Clayton, NY; later released and repaired
  • 1861: Owned by Carey & Calvin, Clayton; underwent major repairs
  • 1861 (Jul): Struck by lightning on the St. Lawrence River, losing a mast
  • 1862: Owned by D. Whitney of Detroit, Michigan
  • 1863 (May): Aground at Clayton while carrying black walnut; refloated
  • 1863 (Jul): Damaged in a collision with Anna E. Raynor at Buffalo
  • 1866: Owned by Dibble of Detroit
  • 1868: Registered under US number 9195 with Chicago owners; tonnage listed as 169.91 gross

Final Disposition

The Fairfield was lost on 29 September 1869 when it ran onto a reef outside Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin, during a storm. The vessel was destroyed by heavy seas and broke apart.

Located By & Date Found

No confirmed discovery or archaeological documentation of the wreck is currently known.

NOTMARs & Advisories

None noted.

Resources & Links

  • C. Patrick Labadie Collection
  • Donald V. Baut
  • Board of Lake Underwriters Marine Directory
  • Erik Heyl, Early American Steamers
  • Steamboat Era in the Muskokas by Richard Tatley
  • H.G. Runge Collection, Milwaukee Public Library
  • Period newspaper archives

Conclusion

The Fairfield represents a typical mid-19th century Canadian-built Schooner that served across the Great Lakes for over two decades. Its long service life and numerous incidents — including groundings, collisions, and a lightning strike — highlight the hazards of Great Lakes navigation. Its final loss at Bailey’s Harbor underscores the dangers posed by coastal reefs and fall storms in Lake Michigan.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

  • Schooner, wood Hull, storm wreck, Lake Michigan, Canadian-built, 19th century, reef collision, Bailey’s Harbor, Great Lakes maritime history.