as the Bon Ami at dock – Jim Baye Collection

Identification & Site Information

Vessel Type Description

Originally built in 1890 as a passenger/package freighter, the North Shore was later repurposed in 1930 as a fruit boat, carrying cargoes like grapes from Michigan to Wisconsin ports. At the time of loss, she represented an early example of electrically welded steel construction on the lakes, significant in maritime engineering history (wisconsinshipwrecks.org).

Description

No modern archaeological surveys, dive reports, or sidescan imagery have been documented for this wreck. The vessel is believed to have Foundered mid‑lake, with little to no debris recovered aside from cargo baskets washing ashore on the east coast. As the wreck has not been located, its condition and dive accessibility remain uncharted.

History & Chronology

  • Built in 1890 at Saugatuck, Michigan, by R. Rogers (wisconsinshipwrecks.org, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
  • Renamed and reconfigured in around 1922 to transport fruit after serving as an excursion and package Steamer.
  • Final Voyage: Departed St. Joseph, Michigan on 26 September 1930 with ~10,000 baskets of grapes bound for Milwaukee. A fall gale struck around 30 September. The vessel was last reported north of Racine, WI, before disappearing. Only cargo washed ashore later confirmed the loss. No wreck location could be established despite coast guard search operations (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, wisconsinshipwrecks.org).

Final Disposition

The North Shore was presumed to capsize and sink during the gale, foundering with Total Loss of life (6 or 7 aboard). No survivors, and the vessel apparently went down quickly without distress signals or rescue.

Located By & Date Found

  • Not located. No dives or surveys have confirmed its position on the lake bottom.
  • Evidence of sinking: only grape baskets and scattered wreckage washed ashore, identified by owner William Lawrie (wisconsinshipwrecks.org).

Notices & Navigational Advisories

There are no recorded Notices to Mariners or hazard bulletins referencing the North Shore. The sinking appears not to have generated formal navigational warnings or archaeological follow-up.

Resources & Archival Links

  1. Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – North Shore entry: Provides build data, loss date, cargo details, casualty estimates, and summary of sinking scenario (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
  2. Wisconsin Shipwrecks Detail Page – North Shore: Confirms details of final voyage, mid-lake foundering, cargo and crew losses, and search outcome (wisconsinshipwrecks.org).

Gaps & Research Opportunities

  • Ownership Records: Beyond William J. Lawrie’s ownership, little is documented about operators or registry entries through the vessel’s life.
  • Technical Blueprints or Plans: Original design documentation, refit details, or Hull plans may exist in shipyard or local archives.
  • Newspaper & Insurance Files: Local press, insurance claims, or inquests from late September 1930 (Milwaukee, Racine, St. Joseph) could yield insight.
  • Search for Wreck Site: Modern sonar surveys or targeted dives could locate Hull remains or cargo debris field mid-lake.

Keywords & Glossary Terms

Lake Michigan, steel Steamer, fruit boat, foundering, autumn gale, 1930 maritime disaster, electrically-welded Hull, Racine fruit trade.

Summary

The North Shore was a steel-hulled fruit Steamer carrying grapes when she disappeared during a gale on 30 September 1930. Last seen north of Racine, WI, she is presumed to have Foundered mid-lake in Lake Michigan. Six or seven lives were lost, and only cargo debris washed ashore. Despite search efforts, no wreck has been located. While limited to index and secondary sources, this vessel’s sinking remains one of the few documented fruit‑boat losses of its kind in the Great Lakes. Further research into local archives or underwater survey efforts could reveal more.