Identification & Site Information

  • Name: LINCOLN DALL
  • Official Number: 15577
  • Year Built: 1869
  • Built At: Chicago, Illinois
  • Final Disposition: Wrecked in storm
  • Final Location: Off Glencoe, Illinois
  • Lake: Lake Michigan
  • Date Lost: 18 May 1894

Vessel Type

  • Type: Schooner
  • Rig: Two-masted, fore-and-aft
  • Hull Material: Wood
  • Decks: 1

Description

  • Builder: Miller Brothers
  • Original Owner: David Dall
  • Dimensions:
    • Length: 115.8 ft (35.3 m)
    • Beam: 25.2 ft (7.7 m)
    • Depth: 9.2 ft (2.8 m)
  • Tonnage:
    • Gross: 206.7 tons
    • Net: 196.37 tons

History

  • 1869 (June): Damaged after striking a bridge in Chicago.
  • 1869 (November): Ashore on Sugar Island in Lake Huron.
  • 1871 (September): Lost mainmast and suffered rigging damage at Middle Island, Lake Huron; underwent drydocking at Detroit for repairs.
  • 1877: New Deck installed.
  • 1878 (August): Lost foretopmast and canvas during a gale on Lake Michigan near Chicago.
  • 1882: Major repair documented.
  • 1883 (November): Grounded off Washington Island in Detroit Harbor, Green Bay, WI; temporarily Abandoned.
  • 1894 (May 18): Wrecked in a storm off Glencoe, IL while carrying lumber. One life lost; remaining crew rescued by the Evanston, Illinois Lifesaving Service.

Final Disposition

The LINCOLN DALL met her end during a spring storm in May 1894. While sailing with a load of lumber, she wrecked off Glencoe, Illinois. One crew member perished in the incident, while others were saved by the United States Life-Saving Service station in Evanston, IL.

Located By & Date Found

No official record of discovery; remains presumed lost offshore in the nearshore Lake Michigan zone.

NOTMARs & Advisories

None noted.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The LINCOLN DALL was a robust Chicago-built lumber Schooner that operated extensively on both Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Though she weathered numerous mishaps over her 25-year career, including groundings and dismastings, she remained in service until lost in a severe 1894 storm. Her history is emblematic of the durability — and ultimate vulnerability — of the Great Lakes sailing fleet during the wood-and-canvas era.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

  • Keywords: Schooner, wooden ship, Lake Michigan, storm wreck, 19th century, sailing vessel, lumber trade
  • Categories: Shipwrecks – Lake Michigan, Great Lakes Schooners, Chicago Shipbuilding
  • Glossary Terms: Dismasted, Foundered, Gross Tonnage, Life-Saving Service, Drydock