Identification & Site Information

  • Built: 1848 by Erastus Lockwood at Madison Dock, Ohio (near Ashtabula)
  • Rig: 3-masted Schooner
  • Hull Material: Wood
  • Gross Tonnage: 104 GT
  • Home Port: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Owner: Mr. Walker (Milwaukee)
  • Registry No.: 22357 (HCGL Vessel Index)
  • Date of Loss: April 18, 1883
  • Wreck Coordinates: 42° 44.237′ N / 87° 46.607′ W
  • Body of Water: Lake Michigan, Racine County, Wisconsin
  • Nearest City: Racine, WI
  • Water Depth: Shoreline loss; shallow surf zone

Vessel Type & Construction

  • Type: 3-masted Schooner, lake freighter for lumber trade
  • Propulsion: Sail (no auxiliary engine)
  • Dimensions: Not fully recorded, tonnage suggests approx. 90–100 ft (27–30 m) length
  • Cargo Capacity: ~110,000 board feet of lumber per voyage
  • Construction Notes:
    • Wood Hull typical of pre-Civil War Great Lakes schooners
    • Designed for coastal lumber and general cargo trade on Lakes Michigan and Erie

Operational History

  • 1848–1883:
    • Active on Lake Michigan lumber routes between western Michigan ports (e.g., Pentwater) and Milwaukee/Racine
    • Often towed by steam tugs in harbor approaches, as sailing schooners lacked maneuverability in strong winds
    • Insured value (1883): $3,700 (Contemporary newspaper)
  • Registry History:
    • Last official document surrendered Milwaukee, June 30, 1883, listed as “Total Loss” (HCGL)

Final Voyage

  • Departure: Pentwater, MI → Racine, WI, cargo of lumber for Kelly, Weeks & Co.
  • Date of Incident: April 18, 1883, ~10:00 PM
  • Circumstances:
    1. Schooner under tow of the Tug Sill near Racine harbor
    2. Tow line parted due to age and strain; vessel drifted into surf near north harbor pier
    3. Grounded in shallow water; attempts to refloat failed
  • Cargo: 110,000 ft of lumber
  • Crew: Entire crew saved by Racine life-saving boat and Tug Sill
  • Immediate Aftermath:
    • Vessel broke up on April 22, 1883
    • Stern collapsed first; then Hull broke amidships
    • Main and mizzen masts snapped; bow and foremast briefly remained standing
    • Milwaukee Tug Boat Company’s steam pump fell overboard during salvage efforts and was damaged

Casualties & Memorials

  • Lives Lost: 0
  • Crew: Names unrecorded; rescued safely
  • No known memorials or headstone records, as there were no fatalities

Salvage & Wreck Status

  • April 1883: Salvage efforts attempted using steam pump and Tug assistance
  • Lumber Cargo: Likely washed ashore or salvaged in following weeks
  • Hull: Declared total constructive loss, broke apart in surf
  • Modern Status:
    • Shoreline debris field probable near Racine’s north harbor
    • Seasonal sand movement likely buried remnants; no confirmed dive site
    • Listed in Wisconsin Shipwrecks Database as a shoreline disintegration site

NOTMARs & Advisories

  • No U.S. Notice to Mariners issued; wreckage disintegrated in shallow water

Resources & Archival Links

Conclusion

The Speed is representative of mid-19th century Great Lakes lumber schooners, small and lightly built, dependent on steam Tug assistance for harbor approaches. Her loss in April 1883 demonstrates the vulnerability of these wooden sail craft in heavy spring conditions, especially when tow lines failed. Though no lives were lost, the wreck quickly disintegrated, leaving little archaeological potential today.