Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Minnie Corlett
  • Official number: 16632
  • Year built: 1866 at Pentwater, Michigan by James Corlett
  • Type: Wooden-hulled scow‑Schooner, one Deck
  • Tonnage: 92 GRT
  • Final loss date: 24 March 1878
  • Location: On or near Chicago Lifesaving Station #7, Lake Michigan
  • Loss type: Foundered (sprang a leak), driven onto Breakwater, destroyed
  • Casualties: One life lost

Vessel Type & Description

A flat-bottomed scow-Schooner, ideal for hauling bulk cargoes in shallow waters and close to shore. Rugged and utilitarian, these vessels were common in late 19th-century Great Lakes transport.

History & Final Voyage

  • 1866–1876: Experienced multiple groundings and minor incidents, including beachings at Muskegon and Lincoln Cape (1872), and striking the Schooner Alleghany near Menominee (1876).
  • 1878: While undertaking coastal harbor operations near Chicago, the scow sprang a leak. The crew attempted to ground her on the Breakwater adjacent to Lifesaving Station #7. During the effort, she Foundered and broke apart in surf. One crew member perished.
  • Due to timing around the station’s operations, the U.S. Life-Saving Service was likely involved in rescue efforts, but details and accounts are scarce.
  • The wreck was reported in maritime records and the C – Great Lakes Shipwreck Files summarizes: “Driven ashore in a storm … Total Loss.” (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Final Disposition

Minnie Corlett was destroyed by surf and structural damage once grounded, leaving no intact Hull. Her remains were either removed or remain submerged near the Breakwater.

Located By & Discovery Status

No known dive surveys or underwater archaeological efforts have documented her remains. The site remains part of the shoreline near the former Lifesaving Station #7.

Notmar & Navigational Advisories

No historical or modern Notices to Mariners (Notmar) reference this wreck. However, breakwaters near Chicago are known hazards, especially during storms—modern vessels should maintain clear distances and heed navigational markers.

Resources & Links

  • C – Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – Entry summarizing her loss as a storm-driven grounding with one life lost off Chicago
  • Incident and repair records highlight her repeated groundings prior to 1878, illustrating her operational pattern that ended in disaster.

Conclusion

The Minnie Corlett typifies the rugged yet vulnerable nature of scow-schooners operating near Great Lakes harbors. Her final voyage in March 1878 saw her spring a leak during a storm, drive onto the Breakwater near Chicago’s Lifesaving Station #7, and founder while attempting rescue. Tragically, one crewman died. Although her physical remains are unstudied, her story adds to the maritime history of Chicago’s shoreline and the perils faced even by hardy working vessels.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary

  • Keywords: Minnie Corlett scow, Chicago harbor wreck, 1878 Breakwater loss, scow‑Schooner
  • Categories: Wooden scow‑schooners, harbor wrecks, Great Lakes maritime rescues
  • Glossary: