MENEKAUNEE (1873, Schooner-Barge)

  • Name: MENEKAUNEE
  • Official Number: 90765
  • Year Built: 1873
  • Built at: Saugatuck, Michigan
  • Vessel Type: Schooner-Barge
  • Hull Material: Wood
  • Builder: John B. Martel
  • Original Owner: Menominee Barge Line Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Dimensions
  • Number of Masts: 3
  • Final Disposition
    • Final Location: Near Frankfort, Michigan, Lake Michigan
    • Date Lost: 19 November 1886
    • How Lost: Driven ashore and wrecked in storm after losing tow of the Steamer MANISTIQUE
    • Final Cargo: Lumber
  • Casualties: 7 lives lost

Vessel Type Description
MENEKAUNEE was a three-masted Schooner-Barge, built for the booming lumber and bulk cargo trades of the upper Great Lakes. Like other Schooner-barges of its era, she combined the carrying capacity of a large Schooner with the flexibility of being towed by steamers, extending her economic life well past that of many pure sail vessels.

History
Launched in 1873 at Saugatuck, Michigan, MENEKAUNEE served the Menominee Barge Line Co. for more than a decade, transporting lumber and other bulk cargo between Lake Michigan ports. In 1886, ownership had passed to Loud & Co. of Oscoda, Michigan, placing her firmly in the regional lumber trade.

On 19 November 1886, while bound from Oscoda to Chicago with a cargo of lumber, MENEKAUNEE was under tow by the Steamer MANISTIQUE. During a severe gale, she broke free of the Towline near Frankfort, Michigan, was driven ashore, and wrecked. Seven of her crew were lost in the tragedy. The vessel quickly became a Total Loss.

Final Disposition
Wrecked near Frankfort, Michigan, on 19 November 1886; broken up in heavy seas and Abandoned.

NOTMARs & Advisories
None noted.

Located By & Date
No official survey or confirmed site discovery reported.

Current Condition & Accessibility
Likely disintegrated or buried in nearshore sands; no modern dive documentation is known.

Resources & Links

Conclusion
MENEKAUNEE illustrates the vital role Schooner-barges played in supporting the 19th-century lumber trade on the Great Lakes, while also reminding us of the inherent dangers of seasonal storms and the limits of towing technology in that period.

Keywords: Lake Michigan, Schooner-Barge, lumber trade, Menominee Barge Line, maritime history, 19th-century shipwreck