Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Gallinipper
  • Former Name: Nancy Dousman
  • Date Built & Launched: 1833 (as Nancy Dousman)
  • Builder: Black River, Ohio
  • Measurements (Original): Unknown; 2-masted Schooner
  • Measurements (Post-1846 Rebuild): Lengthened by 7.9 m (26 ft) – final length likely 25–30 m (82–98 ft)
  • Hull Material: Wood
  • Registration Notes: Operated primarily from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Date Lost: 7 July 1851
  • Cargo at Time of Loss: None (light)
  • Final Location: 15.3 km (9.5 mi) east of Cleveland, Wisconsin
    View location on Google Maps
  • Depth: 64 m (210 ft)

Vessel Type

Two-masted wooden Schooner, extensively used in fur, passenger, wheat, and lumber trade routes across Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

Description

Originally constructed in 1833 as the Nancy Dousman for Michael Dousman of the influential Dousman family of Wisconsin, the vessel served as a general cargo and emigrant Schooner for the early Milwaukee settlement. Renamed Gallinipper after a Rebuild and lengthening in 1846, she continued in the Great Lakes freight circuit. Her narrow beam and increased length made her prone to heeling over under rough conditions when lightly loaded.

History

Built in Black River, Ohio, and named for Michael Dousman’s daughter, Nancy, the vessel carried early Milwaukee emigrants and goods. In 1846, a major refit was undertaken in Milwaukee to increase capacity, resulting in the renaming to Gallinipper. Her post-Rebuild service focused on wheat and lumber, travelling frequently between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron ports. By 1851, Gallinipper had seen multiple ownership changes.

On 7 July 1851, en route northward to Bay du Noc for a lumber load, Gallinipper encountered a violent squall north of Sheboygan. The vessel capsized twice due to high waves while riding high and light. She sank during the second capsize. All nine crew members were saved by a nearby passing vessel.

Final Disposition

Total Loss by foundering during a storm. The wreck rests upright in cold, deep water and is remarkably preserved. A foremast was detached in the 1990s and is now exhibited at Rogers Street Fishing Village in Two Rivers, Wisconsin.

Located By & Date Found

Located in 2009 by the Wisconsin Historical Society and partners. Extensively surveyed and documented. Listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2010. A permanent mooring buoy was installed at the site by WSCNMS in August 2024 to support safe diving.

Notations & Advisories

  • Deep technical dive: Depth of 64 m (210 ft); requires appropriate certification
  • Mooring buoy present since 2024 for safe descent
  • Cold, dark waters; Visibility can be limited
  • Site is monitored and protected under U.S. federal and Wisconsin state historic preservation laws

Resources & Links

Conclusion

Gallinipper embodies early Great Lakes Schooner construction and commercial evolution. Her story spans pre-statehood fur trade, emerging Milwaukee commerce, and 19th-century vessel engineering. The well-preserved wreck is one of the most important archaeological finds in western Lake Michigan, and now supports historic tourism, diver education, and maritime preservation.

Suggested Keywords & Glossary Terms: Gallinipper, Schooner wreck, Lake Michigan dive site, Milwaukee maritime history, Michael Dousman, underwater archaeology
Suggested Categories:

  • Lake Michigan Shipwrecks
  • Pre-Civil War Maritime Trade
  • 19th-Century Schooner Losses
  • Historic Dive Sites of the Great Lakes