Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Frank Crawford
  • Built: 1861 at Pigeon River, Michigan (likely by R. Calkins)
  • Official Number: 9209
  • Vessel Type: Wooden Schooner
  • Dimensions: 124 × 26 × 10 ft; approximately 310 tons (Rebuilt later to 213 tons)
  • Final Loss: 29 October 1882
  • Location: Parents Bay, Garden Peninsula area, Lake Michigan
  • Cargo: Cedar lumber
  • Crew & Casualties: None reported

Vessel Type
A mid-19th-century wooden Schooner built for coastal cargo service—well-suited for lumber transport between Michigan ports.

History & Final Voyage
Built in 1861 and possibly Rebuilt around 1872, Frank Crawford was engaged in the lumber trade for over two decades. On 29 October 1882, she encountered a severe storm while near Parents Bay (the Garden Peninsula). She was driven ashore, suffering a large hole in her bottom. The crew Abandoned her, and by late November she was declared a Total Loss.

Final Disposition
After striking the reef and taking on water, the Schooner filled and sank at her wreck site. The vessel was officially Abandoned late in November 1882.

Located By & Date Found
The grounding was discovered when local wreck listings recorded her loss. No GPS coordinates or underwater investigations have documented the remains.

NOTMARs & Advisories
No modern navigational markers denote the wreck. Parents Bay, along the Garden Peninsula shoreline, is known for shoals and storm exposure—caution advised in late fall.

Resources & Links

Conclusion
Schooner Frank Crawford, built in 1861, was wrecked on 29 October 1882 when driven onto a reef at Parents Bay during a violent storm. The crew escaped, but the vessel suffered fatal Hull damage and was Abandoned. Today, she’s an uncharted casualty of late-season Great Lakes storms.