Identification & Site Information

Vessel Type Description

Originally launched as CANADA, a British steam Barge, the vessel was later Rebuilt and renamed SCHILDE, then converted into the cargo Schooner EUREKA. After loss of life and machinery issues, salvors raised and re‑rigged her as a Schooner‑Barge of about 338 gross tons for coastwise lumber and coal transport between Lake Huron and Erie. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

EUREKA’s documented mishaps include:

  • Machinery failure near Montreal in September 1872
  • A broken paddle wheel near Chicago in 1880
  • Multiple groundings in Georgian Bay (White Cloud Island, 1882; near Rockport, 1883)
  • Sinking in the St. Lawrence River, raised and repurposed
  • Final foundering on November 7–8, 1901, between Tawas and Port Huron (Lake Huron), with one crew member lost (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, RootsWeb)

Throughout her career she changed owners multiple times:

Final Voyage and Tragedy

On November 7–8, 1901, while voyaging in Lake Huron, EUREKA Foundered and was lost between Tawas Bay and Port Huron. The vessel reportedly broke up; one crew member died. Despite local tradition attributing the loss near Kincardine, no authoritative record directly confirms that position. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, RootsWeb)

Final Disposition

  • Cause of Loss: Gale or structural failure resulting in foundering
  • Wreck Condition: Vessel broke apart and presumably scattered; no remains located in modern dive or wreck databases
  • Casualties: 1 confirmed death (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, 3DShipwrecks.org)

Notices to Mariners & Advisories

  • No specific Notices to Mariners or NOTMAR advisories appear in official bulletins tied to the EUREKA wreck. The presumed wreck area remains unmarked and hazard warnings are absent in existing Great Lakes navigational publications.

Legacy & Research Gaps

  • No modern dive surveys, GPS mapping, or visible remains are recorded for EUREKA near Kincardine.
  • Local attribution of the loss location (Kincardine) may arise from oral tradition or secondary sources, but lacks formal confirmation.

To advance the research:

  • Consult Ministry of Provincial Marine & Fisheries reports from Ontario circa late 1901 for loss registers.
  • Review local newspapers (Kincardine Beacon, Bruce Evening News, Port Huron Times) November 1901 to early 1902.
  • Contact regional archives or maritime museums in Kincardine, Goderich, Port Elgin, Sarnia, or Port Huron for further files.
  • Search HCGL, GLMD, Swayze or Canadian underwriter indexes for additional official registration or casualty documentation.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The Schooner EUREKA originated as a steam Barge named CANADA, built in Hamilton in 1872. After multiple rebuilds and conversions, she sailed under various owners as SCHILDE and then EUREKA. She Foundered in Lake Huron in November 1901, likely between Tawas Bay and Port Huron, with one crew member lost. While local maritime lore places the wreck near Kincardine, this remains unconfirmed in extant archival sources. No modern wreck site identification exists. Further investigation via maritime reports, local newspapers, and museum archives could yield more precise details or evidence.