Identification & Site Information

• Name: Minneapolis
• Built: 1873, Marine City, Michigan
• Type: Wooden propeller-driven freighter (bulk Steamer)
• Loss Date: April 4 1894
• Loss Location: Approximately four miles east of McGulpin Point, Straits of Mackinac, Lake Huron (Wikipedia, Great Lakes Vessel History, Drummond Island Tourism Association)
• Condition: Foundered after ice damage, sank in ~125 ft (38 m) of water (Wikipedia)

Vessel Specifications & Propulsion

• Hull: Wood
• Propulsion: Single screw propeller powered by steam
• Engine/Power: Not explicitly documented; typical for bulk steamers of era
• Length & Tonnage: Not specified in sources

Service History & Operations

• Ownership:
  • Sold in 1888 to A A Parker et al., Detroit, Michigan
  • Transferred in 1890 to Parker Transportation Co., Detroit (home port Hamtramck, MI) (Great Lakes Vessel History)
• Cargo on Last Voyage: Tow of two Schooner-barges (Red Wing and San Diego) carrying coal (Great Lakes Vessel History)
• Ice Damage & Loss:
  • Struck ice flows on April 4, 1894, off McGulpin Point
  • Became holed (“cut by ice”) and began leaking
  • Sank at ~3:30 AM; crew rescued by San Diego (Great Lakes Vessel History, Facebook, YouTube)

Crew & Casualties

• Crew Safety: All crew survived—rescued without reported casualties by the consort vessel San Diego (Wikipedia)

Wreck & Discovery

• Site Details: Resting in ~125 ft (~38 m) of water in the Straits, about 500 ft from the South Tower of the Mackinac Bridge (Mackinac State Historic Parks)
• Rediscovery: Located in 1963; noted for preserving items like an 1864 Smith & Wesson revolver recovered by Mackinac Island State Park artifacts team (Mackinac State Historic Parks)
• Artifact Conservation: Revolver treated and conserved in 2014 for Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Museum (Mackinac State Historic Parks)

SS Minneapolis sinking & recovery story (Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Museum)

Archival & Research Gaps

• Builder Records: Shipyard logs from Marine City, MI (1873)
• Technical Specs: Beam, tonnage, engine details beyond generic data
• Crew List: Names and roles, manifested via enrolment/crew documentation
• Insurance & Marine Court Records: Post-1894 enrollment surrender and claims
• Voyage Logs: Coal shipment origin/destination, tow arrangements

Wreck Significance

• A classic example of ice hazard in the Straits during spring break-up—the “Witch of April.”
• The artifact recovery (Smith & Wesson revolver) highlights early enforcement culture among crew aboard Great Lakes steam freighters.
• Now part of the Underwater Preserve, it’s an accessible recreational dive site—diver education and archaeology resource.

Recommended Next Steps

• Archive Visits: Marine City shipyard records; Detroit shipping registries; crew manifests
• Newspaper Review: Local press (St. Ignace, Mackinac, Detroit papers) April 1894
• Validate Enrolment: Review USCG & Customs records; note enrolment surrender on June 11 1894 (Straits Preserve, HMDB, Mackinac State Historic Parks, Drummond Island Tourism Association, Great Lakes Vessel History)
• Field Survey: If not yet done, commission dive/sonar mapping with Mackinac Preserve agreement