Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

Description

The *Kate Kelly* was designed as a **canaller Schooner**, built to navigate the narrow locks of the Welland Canal while maximizing cargo capacity. (NOAA / Meverden & Thomsen report) Her framing was robust for mid-19th century wooden construction, with carvel planking, multiple double floor timbers, and an internal centreboard arrangement typical for Great Lakes schooners of her era. (NOAA report) She was rigged fore-and-aft on two masts, allowing flexibility in handling and efficient operation in variable wind conditions. Over her operational life she underwent several major repairs and rebuilds (notably in 1870 and 1875–1876). (Wisconsin Shipwrecks)

History

After her launch in 1867 at Tonawanda, NY, the *Kate Kelly* entered Great Lakes trade under Buffalo owners. Over time her homeport shifted to Oswego, New York, and her trade routes included grain, coal, lumber, and wood products between Lake Michigan and Lake Ontario ports. (Wisconsin Shipwrecks) She was documented in a number of mishaps: collisions, dockings, and groundings during her service life. For instance, in 1871 she collided with the Brig *Rosius* near Chicago, in 1874 she struck a dock at Oswego, and later she grounded outside the Oswego harbor in September 1875, sustaining damage to Keelson and floors. (Wisconsin Shipwrecks) In October 1893, under Captain Hatch’s direction, she ran ashore at Spider Island (in Death’s Door region), carrying grindstone cargo, suffering damage significant enough to require repair. (Wisconsin Shipwrecks) By the mid-1890s, although aging, she remained economically viable for wood cargoes. In May 1895, she loaded hemlock railroad ties at Alpena, Michigan, and stopped at Sheboygan before proceeding toward Chicago. (NOAA report)

During the equinoctial spring storm of May 13, 1895, Lake Michigan was struck by a severe gale that caught the *Kate Kelly* in transit. Local farmers along Wisconsin’s eastern shore observed a Schooner capsize in the storm. (NOAA report) The next day (May 14), wreckage was recovered by Tugboat operations out of Kenosha, confirming the loss. (NOAA report) On May 15, a U.S. Lifesaving Service crew noted a mast still protruding above water near Wind Point. (NOAA report) Dive explorer John Harms visited the site on June 9, 1895, and reported structural remains: the jib boom, bowsprit, one anchor, and tangled rigging on the mizzen, but no human remains were found. A portion of a flag, draped at half mast, was recovered from rigging—perhaps a final distress symbol. (NOAA report)

Final Dispositions

The *Kate Kelly* likely capsized under the force of overwhelming seas or wind pressure, failing to right herself and plunging to the lake bottom. (NOAA report) Her Hull and structural members fragmented in the settling process. The bows and Forecastle sections separated, rigging was entangled, and many timbers collapsed or dispersed across the lakebed. (NOAA report) No human remains were ever recovered, and given the passage of time and underwater conditions, none are expected.

Located By & Date Found

The wreck was effectively confirmed in 1895 by salvage and lifesaving services (mast protrusion and wreckage retrieval). (NOAA report) Later, systematic archaeological survey and diver exploration documented structural layout and remains. (NOAA report) In 2007, the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (Ref. No. 07001219) as “Kate Kelly Shipwreck, Lake Michigan, 2 miles east of Wind Point.” (NRHP record, Wisconsin Historical Society)

NOTMARs & Advisories

The wreck site is located under navigable waters and may pose entanglement hazards for divers. No specific modern notmar hazard notices are documented. A seasonal mooring buoy marks the site to reduce risk from anchoring damage. (Wisconsin Shipwrecks “Kate Kelly Buoy” page)

Dive Information

Access: by boat; no viable shore entry to reach the wreck.
Mooring: site buoy installed seasonally for dive tie-offs. (Wisconsin Shipwrecks “Kate Kelly Buoy” page)
Entry Point: depart from Racine or Wind Point area marinas.
Conditions: Visibility variable (often 10–30 ft), currents minimal, thermocline layers possible in summer.
Depth Range: main structure ~55 ft (≈17 m).
Emergency Contacts: local USCG station (Milwaukee / Racine area) and Racine County dive support.
Permits: Wisconsin Historical Society oversight may require notification or permit for research dives.
Dive Support: various dive charter operators in Racine/Wind Point region, and local marine service shops in Racine.

Crew & Casualty Memorials

The seven crew (including Captain Hartley J. Hatch) perished; no definitive personal names beyond Hatch are reliably documented in online records or marker inscriptions. (Historic Marker Database)
Memorials: The *Kate Kelly* is featured on Wind Point’s maritime trails marker. (Wisconsin Shipwrecks Maritime Trails Marker)
Further archival work in local newspapers, U.S. Lifesaving Service records, or county death registries (Racine, Sheboygan) may reveal individual names.

Documented Statements & Extracts

“On Monday morning, 13 May 1895, a vicious spring storm exploded across Lake Michigan, catching the *Kate Kelly* and sinking her … On Tuesday, May 14, 1895, a Kenosha-based Tug brought in wreckage that clearly confirmed that the Kate Kelly had gone down.” (Meverden & Thomsen / NOAA report, p. X)

Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails

The Schooner was assigned Official Number 14031 under U.S. registry. (Wisconsin Shipwrecks) In the 1870s, *Kate Kelly* underwent large repairs and was rated “A2” in the Classification of Lake Vessels and Barges register, implying structural wear. (Wisconsin Shipwrecks) Insurance claims and salvage records (e.g. for the 1875 Oswego grounding) are documented in period court records and local newspapers (not fully digitized). (Wisconsin Shipwrecks write-up)

Site Documentation & Imaging

Detailed site mapping, underwater photography, and structural analysis are published in the NOAA / Meverden & Thomsen archival report. (NOAA report) The Wisconsin Historical Society holds photographic records (e.g. mast step, rigging) in their maritime preservation archives (e.g. image IDs IM140121, IM140122) (mast step, rigging remains) The site is integrated into Wisconsin’s Maritime Trails interpretive signage at Wind Point. (Maritime Trails marker)

Image Gallery

Resources & Links

• Great Lakes Vessels Database (BGSU / HCGL)
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Chronicling America (Library of Congress)
• Newspapers.com
• Find A Grave
• NOAA / Meverden & Thomsen *Kate Kelly* site report

References

1. Meverden, Keith N., and Tamara L. Thomsen. *Archeological Investigations of the Wreck of the Schooner Kate Kelly* (NOAA archive). (PDF)
2. “Kate Kelly (1867) – Wisconsin Shipwrecks.” Wisconsin Shipwrecks, https://www.wisconsinshipwrecks.org/Vessel/Details/339
3. “Kate Kelly (shipwreck).” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Kelly_(shipwreck)
4. “Lake Michigan, 2 miles east of Wind Point ‒ Kate Kelly Shipwreck, NR Record.” Wisconsin Historical Society, https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/NationalRegister/NR2129
5. “Schooner Kate Kelly” marker inscription, Historic Marker Database, https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=254071

NOAA Shipwreck Record Card