Identification & Site Information

  • Name(s): Little Western
  • Registry: Chatham, Canada West (now Ontario)
  • Year Built: c.1834 (exact date not recorded; documented in service by 1834)
  • Vessel Measurements: Approx. 60 tons register (exact dimensions unrecorded)
  • Date Lost: 1842
  • Final Location: Near Detroit, Michigan
  • Cause of Loss: Fire

Vessel Type

Little Western was a small wooden Schooner, typical of early 19th-century Great Lakes coasting vessels. These vessels generally ranged 70–90 feet in length, rigged fore-and-aft for efficient sailing in variable winds. Schooners of this tonnage were commonly used for inter-lake trade, transporting bulk cargoes like grain, lumber, and general merchandise between developing ports on the Upper Lakes.

Description

While detailed construction specifications are not preserved, schooners of this size and period were built for speed and simplicity. The Little Western likely had two masts, a shallow Draft for riverine and coastal work, and minimal below-Deck accommodations.

History

The Little Western was registered in Chatham, Upper Canada, and served in the busy trade routes between Lake Erie ports such as Chatham, Amherstburg, and Detroit. Vessels of her type were essential in supplying frontier towns and facilitating cross-border trade in the pre-railroad era.

Her career spanned at least from 1834 until 1842, placing her among the earliest fleet of Canadian-built schooners regularly working between Canadian and American lake ports.

Final Disposition

In 1842, while approaching Detroit, the Little Western caught fire and was completely destroyed. The cause of the fire is not known, but such incidents were common on wooden vessels where open flames were used for cooking and heating. No fatalities were recorded, but the Schooner was a Total Loss.

There is no evidence of salvage or documented wreckage, and no official Notices to Mariners or insurance records have been found.

Located By & Date Found

Not located. The wreck site was likely consumed or removed shortly after destruction due to its proximity to the navigable waters near Detroit.

NOTMARs & Advisories

None noted.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The Little Western is an early example of Canadian Schooner commerce and one of the many wooden vessels lost to fire on the Great Lakes. Though small and relatively obscure, its destruction near a major port like Detroit illustrates the vulnerability of early lake shipping to onboard hazards. No archaeological site is confirmed, and the vessel exists only in registry and incident listings.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

  • Early Schooner, Canadian-built, Great Lakes fire loss, Lake Erie, Detroit River, Chatham shipbuilding, pre-Confederation maritime history