Identification & Vessel Details

  • Name: John L. Shaw (John Shaw in many records)
  • Built: 1885 by H. M. Shaw, Bay City, Michigan
  • Type: Wooden three-masted Schooner
  • Length: 205 ft (significantly large for a Schooner of the era)
  • Cargo on Final Voyage: About 1,750 tons of coal
  • Towboat for Final Voyage: John F. Eddy (Steamer)
  • Official Number & Registry: Confirmed in official Great Lakes registries (no. 1885 build sailing records)

Final Voyage & Loss – November 13, 1894, Lake Huron

  • While being towed by John F. Eddy toward Chicago across Lake Huron, the Schooner dropped into a trough in a sudden blinding snowstorm off Harrisville. The tow line parted, leaving her adrift and open to waves that caused her to spring a leak.
  • The crew of eight Abandoned ship in a Yawl and drifted for hours before being rescued by a passing Steamer—no fatalities. The John Shaw sank shortly thereafter. (Detroit Historical Society, thunderbay.noaa.gov)

Wreck Site & Archaeological Condition

  • Location: Approximately 7 miles offshore from Harrisville, Michigan, in approximately 128 ft of water (Detroit Historical Society)
  • Discovery: Found in July 2007 by a local fisherman; later confirmed by NOAA’s Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (Wikipedia)
  • Condition: The Hull sits upright on the lakebed. Starboard side is collapsed, but remnants of mast stumps, intact framing, and structural timbers remain—remarkably well preserved beneath freshwater. (Wikipedia)

Sources & Documentation

  • NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary: Overview and condition assessment (thunderbay.noaa.gov)
  • Wikipedia entry on John Shaw, including sinking, discovery, and archaeological site survey (Wikipedia)

Archaeological & Historical Importance

  • Maritime heritage: One of the largest schooners on the Great Lakes, John L. Shaw represents the pinnacle of sail-powered bulk transport just before steam dominance.
  • Preservation: The cold freshwater and rapid sinking have allowed for exceptional preservation of wooden Hull components—offering a rare insight into late 19th-century Schooner construction and maritime technology.
  • Site potential: The wreck offers rich opportunities for remote imaging, photogrammetry, and dive-based research—such as studying Hull joinery, cargo stowage, and the structural impacts of wave-induced leaks.

Research & Exploration Opportunities

  • Advanced survey: Use AUV, ROV, or high-resolution side-scan sonar to create detailed site maps of framing, masts, and Hull collapse zones.
  • Cargo analysis: Catalog coal remnants and evaluate stowage density compared to other coal schooners.
  • Wood sampling: Potential for dendrochronological studies relating to timber sourcing and shipbuilding region.

Summary: The John L. Shaw stands out as a mid-19th-century cargo Schooner that succumbed to winter storm conditions while under tow. Her well-preserved wreck makes her a prime subject for maritime archaeology, illuminating details of wooden shipbuilding, sail-freight logistics, and shipboard safety during the sail-to-steam transition era on the Great Lakes.