(Scow Schooner)

Identification & Site Information

• Official Number: 9302
• Built: 1866 at St. Joseph, Michigan (Registry #9302) as a small Scow Schooner (~30 ft, 6.5 gross tons) (baillod.com)
• Type: Community‑scale Scow Schooner, cargo/light usage, flat bottom suited to shallow drafts → often served local short-haul routes
• Final Location: Lake Michigan, ~9 miles north of Racine, Wisconsin (approx. nine miles Milwaukee/Racine boundary) (baillod.com)

Vessel Type & Specifications

• Length: ~30 ft
• Gross Tonnage: ~6.5
• Hull Material: Wood
• Rigging: Small Scow Schooner, likely single mast or unstayed sail arrangement typical for its class
• Cargo: Likely light — no recorded cargo at the time of final voyage

History & Career

• Registered and built for localized cargo use; limited documentation exists beyond vessel registry entries and loss incident (baillod.com, Wikipedia)
• Among the smallest commercially registered vessels lost in Wisconsin waters — almost uniquely diminutive in size and tonnage

Final Voyage & Loss

• Date: July 26, 1870
• A sudden squall struck while she was en route from Chicago to Racine, driving the Flora Temple ashore approximately nine miles north of Racine (baillod.com)
• Outcome: Total wreck — Hull destroyed; cargo (if any) survived or is unspecified. Full loss reported but no injuries or fatalities recorded
• Valuation: $4,500 worth of vessel; insurance claim valued at ~$2,500 (secondary sources suggest $300 insurance, pointing to possible discrepancy in reports) (baillod.com)

Wreck Status & Dive Information

• As a small Scow Schooner, no remains have been positively located, and given its diminutive size the wreck is unlikely to remain intact or detectable after 150+ years (baillod.com)
• No known dive surveys or archaeological documentation exist for this wreck — Flora Temple is thought to be one of the smallest vessels lost in Wisconsin waters and is likely fully deteriorated or buried in nearshore sands

Significance & Context

• Representative of the micro‑fleet of 19th‑century scow schooners that transported goods on Lake Michigan’s nearshore routes
• Demonstrates vulnerability of even sheltered trades to sudden weather events like squalls
• Listed in Wisconsin Shipwreck Association as rare for its small tonnage class and early date, adding value for researchers focusing on lesser-known maritime heritage in the region

Resources & Links

• Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage Journal (Winter 2008 edition, p. 88) — includes entry on Flora Temple (#9302) and detailed compile of small wrecks off Racine (baillod.com, baillod.com, wisconsinshipwrecks.org)
• Southwest Lake Michigan Shipwreck Project – mentions Flora Temple driven ashore near Racine Lighthouse pier; part of broader regional wreck survey (silent-helm.com)
• Wisconsin Shipwrecks Database (Lower Lake Michigan region) – vessel listed with minimal data, context on other Racine-area wrecks for comparison (wisconsinshipwrecks.org)

Summary Table

Next Research Suggestions:

• Consult Great Lakes Vessel Enrollment Registers for David Swayze or HCGL Victoria lists to trace ownership or operational logs.
• Search Racine or Milwaukee newspaper archives (late July 1870) for storm reporting that may mention the Flora Temple.
• Investigate regional University archives or genealogical societies for insurance claims or harbor patrol logs.