Identification & Site Information

  • Vessel Name(s): H.L. Whitman
  • Registry Number: 11187
  • Year Built: 1855
  • Year Sunk: 1869
  • Official Dimensions:
    • Length: 117.10 ft (35.7 m)
    • Beam: 25.10 ft (7.6 m)
    • Depth of Hold: 10.23 ft (3.1 m)
  • Gross Tonnage: 208.43
  • Hull Material: Wood
  • Body of Water: Lake Michigan
  • Nearest City: Racine, Wisconsin
  • County: Racine
  • Coordinates: N 42° 46.216′ / W 087° 46.241′
  • Depth: 10 ft (3 m)

Vessel Type

  • Configuration: Two-masted Schooner
  • Rig: Fore-and-aft Schooner rig
  • Intended Use: Lumber and bulk cargo transport on the Great Lakes

Construction & Description

The H.L. Whitman was a wooden, two-masted Schooner built in Milan, Ohio by Salmon Ruggles and launched June 23, 1856 into the Milan Canal on the Huron River.

  • Hull: Single-Deck, square Stern, plain head
  • Propulsion: Sail-powered
  • Insurance: B1 rating, valued at $6,500 in 1865, noted as “rather flat”
  • Notable Features: Designed for lumber and general bulk cargo, typical mid-19th century lake Schooner

Operational History

  • 1856–1857: Launched and initially commanded by Captain John Jennings.
  • 1857–1859: Ownership changes to Captain L.L. Phillips, home port moved to Milan, Ohio.
  • 1859: Down-bound through Welland Canal to Oswego with salt; later stranded near the Genessee River, freed by Tug Page.
  • 1861: Stranded on Grassy Island, Detroit River, kedged off without damage.
  • 1863: Began regular Oswego–Chicago voyages with coal and lumber; home port changed to Chicago, Illinois.
  • 1865: Ownership transfer to Captain Edward Comerford (¼ owner); vessel remeasured and given official number 11187.
  • Cargoes: Lumber, coal, salt, and general freight typical of Great Lakes schooners.

Final Voyage & Loss

  • Date of Wreck: October 11, 1869
  • Voyage: Oconto, Wisconsin → Chicago, Illinois with lumber cargo
  • Master: Captain E. Finn
  • Incident: Struck reef off North Point (Wind Point), near Racine
  • Salvage Attempt:
    • Deck load jettisoned to lighten vessel
    • Steam pump delayed from Chicago
    • Pounded by heavy south wind for three days
    • Tug Mosher and Schooner John S. Wallace attempted to lighten but Abandoned effort
  • Disposition: Declared Total Loss; sails salvaged; Hull went to pieces
  • Lives Lost: 0

Post-Loss & Wreck Site

  • Enrollment Surrendered: July 14, 1870, U.S. Customs, Chicago
  • Insurance: $6,000 valuation, Republic Insurance Co. of Chicago paid $5,000

Today, the wreck lies:

  • 0.13 miles offshore, north of North Bay, near Wind Point, Wisconsin
  • Resting in 10 ft (3 m) of water on rocks and silt
  • Condition:
    • Lower Hull, Keel, and frames remain intact
    • No upper works or rigging remain
    • Minimal mussel growth due to surf zone exposure
    • Broken and scattered from wave and ice action over 150 years

Diving & Site Information

  • Depth Range: 3–10 ft (1–3 m)
  • Accessibility: Shore-accessible, shallow surf-zone wreck
  • Hazards:
    • Wave surge in shallow water
    • Rocky bottom
    • Seasonal Visibility fluctuations
  • Diver Note: Snorkel or shallow scuba; often visible in clear summer water
  • Emergency Contact:
    • USCG Sector Lake Michigan – (414) 747-7182
  • Permits: Wisconsin Historical Society monitors site; removal of artifacts prohibited

Historical Significance

The H.L. Whitman is a representative example of mid-19th century Great Lakes lumber schooners and an early casualty of Racine’s Wind Point Reef, a notorious hazard for lake traffic.

Its accessible, shallow wreckage makes it an important archaeological site and training resource for Great Lakes divers. Despite heavy salvage and natural deterioration, the lower Hull structure and Keelson provide valuable insight into lake Schooner construction techniques of the 1850s.

References & Archival Links