built 1837; lost November 21, 1857 Two-masted wooden Schooner — Lake Michigan
Vessel Identification & Registry
- Name: Rocky Mountains
- Built: 1837 (inferred)
- Tonnage: One of the largest schooners on the Great Lakes at her time (size unspecified)
- Owner at Loss: E. K. Bruce (Milwaukee-based)
- Operated primarily on Lake Huron and Lake Michigan routes
Final Voyage & Loss
- Date of Loss: November 21, 1857
- Location: Driven ashore approximately 4 miles south of New Buffalo, Michigan, during a late-season storm
- Circumstances: She battered ashore, became waterlogged, and broke apart offshore in heavy seas.
- Her crew survived by constructing a makeshift raft; they drifted for over 12 hours before being rescued by the passing Schooner Jo Vilas.
Summary Table
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Rocky Mountains |
| Built | circa 1837 (inferred) |
| Owner at Loss | E. K. Bruce (Milwaukee) |
| Type / Tonnage | Wooden Schooner; among largest of her time |
| Loss Date | November 21, 1857 |
| Loss Location | ~4 mi south of New Buffalo, Michigan (Lake Michigan) |
| Cargo | Lumber |
| Cause of Loss | Driven ashore by storm; waterlogged & broke up |
| Crew & Casualties | Survival by raft; all rescued |
| Final Status | Total Loss; no salvage |
Important Distinction
- Note that some records refer to a scow-Schooner named Rocky Mountain (singular), built 1852, lost October 21, 1857 north of Racine—that is a different vessel, not Rocky Mountains (1857).
- It is important to maintain this distinction to avoid conflating the two events:
- Rocky Mountains (lost Nov 21 off New Buffalo)
- Rocky Mountain (lost Oct 21 off Racine, scow-Schooner, different owner and characteristics)
Contextual Notes & Research Recommendations
- Rocky Mountains was among the earliest large schooners on the lakes and demonstrates how even well-constructed vessels succumbed to late-season storms in shallow coastal areas.
- Survivors endured extended exposure and improvised survival methods—provide a rare human-interest lens on persistence in early Great Lakes maritime disasters.
Suggested Further Inquiry:
- Milwaukee Sentinel archives (Nov 1857) for storm and shipwreck reports.
- Insurance or underwriters’ records (c. November 1857) under owner E. K. Bruce.
- Local Michigan newspapers in New Buffalo and vicinity for rescue descriptions.
- Ship registry ledgers or port manifests detailing the vessel’s build and operational history.
Conclusion
The Schooner Rocky Mountains, loaded with lumber and owned by E. K. Bruce, was lost in a gale on November 21, 1857, when she was driven ashore south of New Buffalo, Michigan. The Hull broke apart and sank; her crew famously survived on a makeshift raft for over 12 hours before rescue. Not to be confused with the separate vessel Rocky Mountain, which wrecked a month earlier off Racine—this profile maintains clarity and source-supported accuracy for your archival research.