Wooden Scow-Schooner (Built 1882, Lost 1890)

Identification & Construction

Service History

The Levena was a small wooden scow-Schooner, typical of the “gravel hookers” that served the Chicago–Kenosha–Lake Bluff trade in the late 19th century. Vessels of this type:

  • Hauled gravel, stone, and small construction cargoes along nearshore Lake Michigan routes.
  • Operated with minimal crews, often 2–3 men.
  • Were low‑value craft, frequently Abandoned or allowed to break up after incidents.

Enrollment and Service Notes:

  • Built in Charlevoix, MI (1882) for nearshore commercial use.
  • Enrolled at Chicago for local commerce.
  • Final Enrollment Surrendered: June 3, 1890 with the notation “Vessel Lost” (Chicago Customs Office).

Final Voyage & Loss

  • Date of Loss: May 29, 1890 (per contemporary reports)
  • Cause: Leakage in rough seas; grounded and broke apart near Lake Bluff
  • Location:Lake Michigan off Kenosha County, Wisconsin
    • Coordinates: N 42° 33.317′ / W 087° 48.605′
  • Depth: Shoreline surf / eventual disintegration in shallow water
  • Lives Lost: None

Newspaper Account (Chicago Tribune, June 4, 1890):

“The Levena had some fifteen tons of gravel aboard, bound for this port last Thursday night. When off Kenosha the little ‘gravel‑hooker’ sprung a leak in the sea then running. Banks and the man who comprised the rest of the crew tried to pump the water out as fast as it came in, but seeing the water gaining so rapidly that the boat was likely to founder at any time, she was headed for shore at Lake Bluff. It was an uncertain race whether the boat would reach the bottom of the lake or the shore first, but the shore won. The two men got through the surf to the beach and built a fire. When day broke the Levena was strewn along the beach. She was worth $400, but Banks told the Custom Officer that he was content to let the Bark go, having saved his life.”

  • Owner/Master: Capt. Banks (full name not recorded)
  • Casualties: 0

Wreck Disposition

  • Immediate Fate:
    • Vessel broke up on the beach near Lake Bluff, Illinois.
    • Wreckage scattered and Abandoned, as the vessel’s value (~$400) was not worth salvage.
  • Long-Term Fate:
    • No extant wreck site—wooden remains likely burned, salvaged, or buried in the shoreline.
    • The site is not considered a dive target due to shallow, shifting nearshore sand.

Historical Significance

The Levena is a representative example of the small “gravel‑hookers” that supplied Chicago’s construction boom in the 19th century. These vessels:

  • Were economical, disposable craft, often uninsured or minimally valued.
  • Represent the working-class maritime economy of Lake Michigan before the dominance of rail and steam bulk carriers.
  • Often ended their careers on the beach, as in this case.

For maritime historians, the Levena highlights:

  • The end of small scow-Schooner trade on Lake Michigan by the 1890s.
  • Minimal documentation of low-tonnage vessels and crews.
  • Risky operations with tiny crews on open Lake Michigan waters.

Keywords & Categories

  • Region: Lake Michigan – Kenosha County / Lake Bluff
  • Vessel Type: Wooden scow-Schooner, “gravel hooker”
  • Cause of Loss: Leak in heavy seas; beached and broken up
  • Cargo: Gravel (construction)
  • Dive Difficulty: None – wreckage destroyed
  • Historical Themes:
    • Nearshore trade & construction material transport
    • Disposable working schooners
    • Minimal-crewed small craft losses