(Official No. 16629; built 1864)

Identification & Site Information

Vessel Type

Description

The Marion Dixon was a shallow‑Draft, flat‑bottomed scow-Schooner, measuring around 88 × 20 × 5 ft and tonnage of about 69 gt. Built in 1864 in Fairport, OH, she was constructed for nearshore transportation of heavy but low-value bulk cargo like Bark or woodchips, often for short hauls along the Lake Michigan coast. Her scow-style Hull suited sandy lakebeds, with minimal freeboard and simple rigging. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

History

  • Launched in 1864, owned out of Milwaukee and registered in Racine under Andrew Little, a regional trader in timber and Bark products (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
  • Operated within Lake Michigan coastal trade, often moving Bark cargo between ports near Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee.
  • On May 14, 1881, while carrying Bark and sailing approximately 10 miles off the shoreline between Kenosha and Racine, she began to take on water. The sources describe her as “leaking,” likely due to Hull strain or failure of seams. She became waterlogged and capsized in open water. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • By the next day, wreckage (Hull fragments and cargo) washed ashore south of Kenosha, indicating she Foundered and dispersed offshore wind or currents. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Final Disposition

The Marion Dixon sank by capsizing in open water after losing buoyancy due to leaks; her scattered remains drifted ashore the following day. No loss of life is mentioned in the summary—implying that crew presumably survived or that casualties were not reported. (linkstothepast.com)

Located By & Date Found

  • There is no modern discovery or documented dive site. The vessel was small and sank far offshore, with wreckage dispersed nearshore, so no intact Hull remains are known. Her final location was never mapped by divers or archaeologists.

NOTMARs & Advisories

  • There are no known Notices to Mariners or long‑term hazard bulletins—given the vessel sank offshore and debris dispersed, no permanent hazard remained. None noted.

Resources & Links

Gaps & Next Steps

  • Crew names, master, and identities are not recorded in available sources—suggesting no fatalities were reported or reported in regional press.
  • Local newspapers—Kenosha Evening News, Racine Journal Times, Milwaukee Sentinel—from mid‑May 1881 could contain reports on the wreck, potential rescue, or statements from Andrew Little or other owners.
  • Insurance and port records: examination of Racine port registers or Steamer bureau records may reveal cargo documents or loss claims.
  • Archival logs: maritime board or local harbor logs may mention the incident or salvage of Deck materials.
  • Field reconnaissance: likely no remains now exist; but side-scan or magnetometer surveys off the Kenosha–Racine coastline at 10-mile distance might reveal metal fittings or cargo remnants if still submerged.

Conclusion

The Marion Dixon, a small scow-Schooner launched in 1864, sank after taking on water and capsizing offshore on May 14, 1881. Laden with Bark, she failed structurally in open water and her cargo and debris washed ashore south of Kenosha. No lives lost are recorded, and no intact wreck has been located. This loss highlights the vulnerability of small, lightly built scow-schooners engaged in coastal bulk transport to structural failure in moderate offshore conditions. While of minor archaeological interest today, her story underscores the hazardous nature of Great Lakes bulk sailing trade in the late 19th century.