Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Kingfisher
  • Year Built: 1867
  • Official No.: 14032
  • Built At: Cleveland, Ohio by I. Lafrinier
  • Type: Wooden three-masted Schooner-Barge
  • Hull Materials: Wood, single Deck
  • Dimensions: approx. 166 ft (50.6 m) × 32 ft (9.8 m) × 12.6 ft (3.8 m)
  • Gross Tonnage: 517.32 tons
  • Final Location: Foot of Case Avenue Breakwater, Cleveland, Lake Erie
  • Date of Loss: 5 October 1905
  • Cause: Driven ashore in an extraordinarily violent storm
  • Final Cargo: Lumber
  • Casualties: None reported (though one crewman later drowned after transferring on Sarah E. Sheldon) (alcheminc.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)

Vessel Type

A lumber Schooner-Barge used primarily in the coastal trade, constructed to maximize cargo capacity while still being towable by steam tugs when full sailing rig was unnecessary.

History

  • 1867: Launched and enrolled in Buffalo under J.H. & N.C. Winslow.
  • 1869–1900: Involved in several collisions and groundings at Cleveland, St. Clair Flats, Escanaba, and Port Burwell; featured multiple repairs and tows by tugs (Samson, George King, Samuel Marshall). (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
  • 1905: Laden with lumber, Kingfisher broke free amidst a fierce gale near Cleveland, grounding at Case Avenue and—unable to free herself—broke apart during the following storm on 18 October. One crewman drowned after boarding another Schooner, Sarah E. Sheldon.

Final Disposition

The vessel was destroyed in place: Deck and rigging battered by waves, Hull Abandoned. Cargo was removed, but the Hull was left on the Breakwater and eventually broke up.

Located By & Date Found

Not applicable. This was a shore wreck; no survey or dive site exists.

Notices & Advisories

None recorded. Post-wreck, her remains lay clear of navigable channels; no modern hazard notices or chart warnings exist.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The Kingfisher exemplified a workhorse of Great Lakes lumber transportation, surviving multiple mishaps across its 38-year service. Its final grounding at Cleveland’s Case Avenue after a violent storm in October 1905 cemented its end. While no underwater site remains, Kingfisher‘s story illustrates the perilous seasonal weather faced by wooden schooners in the early 20th century.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

Kingfisher, Schooner-Barge, lumber Schooner, Cleveland wreck, Case Avenue, 1905 storm grounding, wooden cargo vessel, Great Lakes maritime history, storm-driven wreck