Northerner (schooner) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 United States |
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| Name | Northerner |
| Operator |
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| Builder | John Oades |
| Completed | 1850 |
| Fate | Sank 29 November 1868 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Schooner |
| Length | 81 ft. |
| Beam | 18.9 ft. |
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Northerner
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| Location | One mile off Port Washington, Wisconsin |
| Built | 1850 |
| MPS | Great Lakes Shipwreck Sites of Wisconsin MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 10001005 |
| Added to NRHP | December 10, 2010 |
The Northerner was a large, two-masted sailing ship called a schooner. It was 81 feet (about 25 meters) long. This ship sank in Lake Michigan on November 29, 1868. It went down about five miles southeast of Port Washington, Wisconsin, in the United States. Today, the bottom of the ship rests under 130 feet (about 40 meters) of water.
The Ship's Journey
The Northerner was built in 1850 by John Oades in Clayton, New York. Its first owner was Henry T. Bacon, a merchant from New York. Russell Disbrow helped operate the ship.
When it was new, the Northerner mostly sailed on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. In 1859, a big storm on Lake Ontario damaged the ship. It had to be rebuilt at Wells Island, New York.
In 1863, the ship was sold to new owners in Chicago, Illinois. After this, the Northerner began carrying timber on Lake Michigan. Over the next few years, the ship changed owners a few more times. By 1867, Anders Ryerson became its captain.
The Final Voyage
In November 1868, the Northerner was damaged near Cedar Grove, Wisconsin. This happened while it was loading timber. The ship managed to reach Port Washington, where quick repairs were made.
After the temporary fixes, another ship called the Cuyahoga began towing the Northerner to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. But on November 29, 1868, during this trip, the Northerner flipped over and sank. Luckily, the crew of the Northerner was rescued by the Cuyahoga.
The Shipwreck Today
The exact depth of the Northerner shipwreck is a bit debated. Some people say it's under 130 feet (39.6 meters) of water, while others say it's 135 feet (41.1 meters) deep.
When you look at the wreck, you can see that the foremast (the front mast) has fallen over but is still attached to the ship. The mast in the middle of the ship is no longer there. The ship itself is mostly in one piece, but the pilothouse (where the captain steers) broke off when the ship sank.
