Wooden Schooner-Barge, Foundered in a Great Gale — Lake Huron

Identification & Site Information

  • Vessel Name: Prince
  • Type: Wooden Schooner or Barge (likely Schooner-Barge based on contemporaneous vessel types)
  • Year Built / Registry: Not recorded in surviving sources
  • Dimensions / Tonnage: Unknown; presumed moderate size based on era and usage
  • Date of Loss: 20 October 1905, during a major storm on Lake Huron (Facebook, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • Location: Grounded near Port Crescent, Michigan, Lake Huron – noted in shipwreck files as “Heavily damaged by grounding in great storm of Oct 20, 1905” (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • Cause of Loss: Severe storm conditions gravelled the vessel ashore; she filled with water and sank
  • Cargo: Not documented
  • Loss of Life: None mentioned in records; presumed no fatalities given lack of detail (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Vessel Type Description

Though scant specifics exist, Prince likely functioned as a small wooden Schooner or Schooner-Barge, a common design in early 1900s Great Lakes freight service. These vessels carried bulk or general cargo along routes in Lake Huron and connected rivers. The absence of machinery detail and her behavior during the gale suggests a sail-powered or simpler Barge configuration.

History & Chronology

No further incidents or operational history are recorded for Prince. Her only known mention in archival sources pertains to the catastrophic storm of October 1905 which inflicted heavy damage and ultimately sank the vessel. The lack of registration detail suggests she may not have been large or formally documented.

Final Disposition

On 20 October 1905, Prince was caught in a powerful gale on Lake Huron. Stranded near Port Crescent, she sustained critical grounding damage. The vessel flooded and sank shortly thereafter. The storm, part of a broader pattern of late-season gales (sometimes referred to as “Witch of November” style weather), caused widespread maritime losses that season (Northern Michigan History).

Located By & Date Found

No modern archaeologic search, dive survey, or sonar identification has been documented for Prince. The wreck remains unlocated and unstudied.

NOTMARs & Advisories

No Notices to Mariners, maritime advisories, or formal hazard bulletins exist in conjunction with this wreck. In 1905 such documentation was rare, especially for smaller vessels.

Resources & Links

  • Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – entry “Prince”: Listing provides date and place of grounding in storm, source classification (storm), and location near Port Crescent, Lake Huron (Wikipedia, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • Historical context – Mataafa Storm and related weather: While Prince is not a Mataafa Storm victim, its loss coincides with a period of increased storm activity across the Great Lakes in late fall 1905, including documented impacts on Lake Huron (Northern Michigan History)

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

Lake Huron, Schooner, 1905 storm loss, Foundered by grounding, Port Crescent wreck, small timber-built Barge.

Summary

Prince represents one of multiple lesser-known Schooner losses during the severe fall storm season of 1905 on Lake Huron. Though technical documentation is minimal, the incident underscores weather-induced risks common to early 20th-century Great Lakes navigation. Further archival research—such as period newspaper coverage from Michigan or Canadian ports—may provide corroborating reports or additional vessel records. Would you like assistance with locating such primary sources for deeper documentation?