Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Palestine
  • Built: 1847 (exact shipyard location unknown)
  • Vessel Type: Wooden Schooner
  • Official Number: Not recorded
  • Dimensions: Not recorded
  • Final Loss: 23 November 1853
  • Location: Ontario shore, Lake Huron – alongside the similarly laden Schooner Ontonagon
  • Cargo: Railroad Iron
  • Crew & Casualties: None mentioned

Vessel Type
A mid‑19th-century wooden Schooner likely built for general cargo, notably heavy iron freight like railroad materials—well-suited for lake trade but vulnerable when loaded deeply and caught in late-autumn weather.

History & Final Voyage
Departing Kingston, Ontario, bound for Cleveland, the Palestine and Ontonagon carried loads of Railroad Iron. On 23 November 1853, both schooners were driven ashore on the Ontario coast during a storm. They lost compass reliability (“erratic compass variations”) and ran onto the beach only a few rods apart. Both vessels were pounded heavily by surf and sank in place. No survivors were lost among either crew.

Final Disposition
Both vessels were declared total losses after breaking apart onshore. No salvage efforts are recorded, suggesting they were Abandoned in place and left to the elements.

Located By & Date Found
Wreckage was noted shortly after the storm in November 1853. No precise coordinates or archaeological surveys exist for either wreck today.

NOTMARs & Advisories
No official navigational markers were placed. The Ontario Lake Huron coastline remains prone to storms and compass anomalies; modern charts offer general hazard warnings, but no site- specific alerts.

Resources & Links

Conclusion
The Palestine Foundered during a November 1853 storm while carrying Railroad Iron from Kingston to Cleveland. Beaching alongside the Ontonagon due to erratic compass readings, she endured wave pounding until sinking. Both vessels were Abandoned onshore with no casualties. The wreck remains undiscovered and uncharted.