Identification & Site Information

Final Voyage & Loss

  • Incident: Official documentation reports N. Star was “wrecked in September 1878.”
  • Location: Not specified in the surrender record; vessel was registered through Port Huron, MI (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com).
  • Circumstances: Original shipwreck record is unreported—unknown if due to storm, grounding, cargo shift, or collision.
  • Casualties: None recorded

Final Disposition

  • The registry was surrendered on 12 December 1881, cancelling the enrollment due to wreck conditions.
  • The exact nature and location of the wreck were not detailed, leaving the site uncharted.

Located By & Date Found

  • No GPS, dive, sonar, or archaeological evidence located the remains.
  • The surrender does not specify site; thus, the wreck remains unlocated and undocumented.

Notations & Advisories

  • No navigational warnings or chart annotations are linked to this loss.
  • As a small scow-Schooner, she likely sank in shallow coastal waters—potentially near Port Huron or Bangor, MI.

Archival Research Suggestions

To fill in the gaps and locate N. Star’s story, I recommend:

  1. Newspaper Archives (Sept 1878):
    • Search Port Huron Times Herald, Saginaw Courier, Detroit Free Press, or small-press papers for “North Star” shipping incidents.
  2. Harbor & Lighthouse Records:
    • Entries in Port Huron ship logs, keepers’ journals, or Great Lakes Coast Survey charts may mention the wreck.
  3. Insurance and Underwriters’ Files:
    • Look for small claims records in Michigan maritime insurance archives between 1878–1881.
  4. Maritime Registers:
    • Follow shipping enrollment logs post-1878 to see if vessel status or reported site emerges in transfer or cancellation notes.

Conclusion

N. Star, a small 1868-built scow-Schooner, was officially declared wrecked sometime in September 1878, with registry surrendered in late 1881. No cause or exact location is captured in surviving records, and the wreck remains unlocated. Archival research into contemporary journals, newspapers, and insurance files may reveal further details and potentially identify the site.