Identification & Build Details

  • Name: Farrand H. Williams
  • Official Number: 120474
  • Built: 1882 by F.H. Williams, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
  • Type: Wooden scow-Schooner
  • Dimensions: 89 ft × 23 ft × 7 ft
  • Tonnage: 95 GT / 90 NT
  • Function: Transporting cordwood and similar bulk loads on Lake Michigan

Final Voyage & Loss

  • Date: September 11, 1900
  • Route: Transporting cordwood across Horseshoe Bay, northwest side of the Door Peninsula, WI
  • Cargo: Cordwood
  • Incident: Driven ashore during a sudden squall or storm; grounded on boulder-strewn, shallow waters and pounded irreparably
  • Salvage Attempt: Initial hopes of recovery failed, and the vessel became a Total Loss (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences)

Wreck Site & Condition

  • Location: Horseshoe Bay, northwest Door Peninsula, Lake Michigan — likely near Michigan Island/Magistrate Island area
  • Site Condition: Expected wreck remains lie in surf zone: broken planks, ribs, and cargo wood scattered and buried beneath shifting sands (Wisconsin Shipwrecks)
  • Salvage: None succeeded; no hazard markers recorded

Archival & Research Opportunities

  • Newspapers (Sep–Oct 1900):
    • Door County Sentinel, Sturgeon Bay Advocate, Green Bay Gazette, and Milwaukee papers for storm and wreck reports
  • USCG / LSS Logs:
    • Door County life-saving stations (Sturgeon Bay or Whitefish Bay) may have rescue or salvage incident logs
  • Salvage Documentation:
  • Chart Analysis & Field Survey:
    • Historic NOAA charts may record wreck location; side-scan sonar can detect debris in surf zone

Summary

The Farrand H. Williams, a small scow-Schooner built in 1882 and carrying cordwood, was wrecked in a storm on September 11, 1900, off Horseshoe Bay in Door County, WI. Salvage efforts failed, and the vessel was Abandoned amid the surf zone shallow waters. Her remains likely lie scattered along the boulder-lined shoreline, making her a compelling target for maritime archaeological survey and local heritage documentation.