Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Monteagle
  • Official Number: 91684
  • Built: 1884 by Robert Mills & Co., Buffalo, New York
  • Vessel Type: Wooden-hulled bulk-freight propeller Steamer
  • Dimensions: 67.8 m × 10.7 m × 6.6 m (222′6″ × 34′ × 21′6″); two decks
  • Tonnage: ~1,273 GT; 1,035 NT
  • Cargo at Loss: Wheat
  • Crew at Loss: None — all survived
  • Date Lost: Struck submerged crib 19 September 1909; fire consumed her by 22 September 1909
  • Final Location: Lake Munuscong, St. Mary’s River (16 ft / 4.9 m water) (greatlakesvesselhistory.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)

Vessel Type & Description

A substantial wooden propeller freighter designed for large cargo runs, propelled by coal-fired boilers and a fore-and-aft compound engine (600 ihp). With a spacious two-Deck configuration, she was built for heavy bulk freight, typical of late-19th-century lake commerce (greatlakesvesselhistory.com).

History of Loss

Downbound from Duluth to Oswego on 19 September 1909, the Monteagle struck a submerged crib in Lake Munuscong. The impact disabled her Hull and soon after, during salvage efforts, she caught fire. The blaze took hold rapidly, the ship was Abandoned, and she burned to the waterline before sinking in ~5 m of water (greatlakesvesselhistory.com).

That fire horror wasn’t unique—earlier in 1909 a wooden crib fire near Chicago killed dozens, but that was a stationary structure unrelated to the Monteagle’s fate .

Final Disposition

The vessel settled upright in shallow water and remains there to this day, burned and partially submerged. No fatalities occurred during the incident.

Located By & Date Found

Though uncharted as a dive site, the wreck lies in known shallows and may be accessible to technical divers. No formal archaeological reporting on her current state exists.

Notations & Advisories

The shallow wreck poses minimal navigation risk but could be visible or hazardous to small craft. No official hazard markers are in place.

Conclusion

The Monteagle serves as a dramatic example of how mechanical failure—like hitting a submerged obstruction—can trigger cascading disasters, even on calm waters. A vessel of considerable size and importance to freight transport, her loss reflects both operational risk and the limited salvage capabilities of the era.

Keywords: wooden bulk Steamer, submerged crib collision, Lake Munuscong wreck, Great Lakes grain carrier fire
Categories: Great Lakes shipwrecks | Lake Huron/St. Mary’s River wrecks | early 20th-century freighters | propeller Steamer accidents