Identification & Site Information
- Built: 1852 by Bidwell & Banta, Buffalo, New York (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Official Number: Not recorded
- Type: Wooden, three‑masted Schooner (sometimes classified as a Bark)
- Tonnage: ≈ 362 tons (old measurement, OM) (ontariogenealogy.com, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Loss Date: October 27, 1865
- Location of Loss: Near Chicago, Lake Michigan, U.S.
- Cargo: Coal (none delivered)
- Owner: Whitaker & Co., Detroit (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Wisconsin Shipwrecks)
Vessel Type
A mid‑19th century merchant sailing vessel, intended for bulk freight like coal; its rig (3‑masted) permitted efficient handling of laden cargoes across the Great Lakes.
Description
Constructed of wood with three masts, the H. L. Lansing was rated at approximately 362 OM tons—a full-sized cargo Schooner by period standards. No precise dimensions are given, but comparable vessels ranged around 140 feet in length, shallow Draft for Great Lakes service. Built for coastal and inland freight routes.
Operational History
- Commissioned in Buffalo in 1852, the Lansing served routes connecting Detroit, Chicago, and other Lake Michigan ports.
- Understood to be part of Whitaker & Co.’s coal transport fleet out of Detroit.
- Repairs: documented grounding on Colchester Reef in November 1864, followed by major repairs; previously stranded in 1856 near New Buffalo, MI, though later salvaged and repaired after winter delay (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
Final Disposition
- Incident: On October 27, 1865, encountered a storm while approaching Chicago harbor. She became stranded and was destroyed in the gale, breaking apart.
- Casualties: No loss of life reported.
- Insurance/Inquiry: Not documented in publicly accessible accident registers; appears in contemporary NC Great Lakes incident lists as a “Total Loss” due to stranding in a storm (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
Located By & Date Found
No known modern identification or dive site; wreck presumably fragmented nearshore—no recorded contemporary or modern salvage beyond initial abandonment.
NOTMARs & Advisories
No recorded Notices to Mariners or buoy/hazard warnings noted for this site in period navigational bulletins.
Resources & Links
- “Great Lakes Shipwreck Files” entry for H. L. Lansing, listing ownership, date, tonnage, loss details, and sources like nsp, hgl, rsl, blu (Naval History and Heritage Command, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Additional depth might be found in HCGL enrollment records, Whitaker & Co. Detroit shipping logs, and Chicago newspaper archives circa late October 1865.
Gaps & Suggestions for Further Research
- Crew and command: No names listed—worth consulting HCGL enrollment rolls or Detroit maritime registries.
- Newspaper accounts: Chicago Tribune, Detroit Free Press, or marine columns in late October and early November 1865 may offer eyewitness reports or salvage notices.
- Insurance and shipping company archives: Detroit archives or marine insurance ledgers could hold loss claims if insured.
- Dock records: Chicago Harbor pilot logs or port authority incident records might mention her stranding.
Conclusion
The H. L. Lansing was a substantial mid‑century Great Lakes sailing vessel built in Buffalo (1852), owned out of Detroit, and engaged in transporting coal. She was stranded and destroyed in a gale on October 27, 1865, off Chicago—her Hull and cargo lost, but notably with no reported fatalities. She survives in the historical record only through clerical wreck listings and wreck registers. Further archival research—especially in shipping company records, newspapers, and Great Lakes boarding/enrollment logs—may yield more detailed personal or legal information.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
Region: Lake Michigan – Vessel type: Three‑masted Schooner / Bark – Cargo: Coal – Year of loss: 1865 – Cause: Gale / Stranding – Owner: Whitaker & Co., Detroit – Loss status: Total Loss – Human loss: None reported.