Rosinco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Rosinco
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Lake Michigan off the coast of Kenosha, Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| Built | 1916 |
| Architect | Harlan and Hollingsworth; Fairbanks-Morse |
| NRHP reference No. | 01000737 |
| Added to NRHP | July 18, 2001 |
The Rosinco was a fancy diesel-powered yacht. It sank in Lake Michigan near Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1928. This shipwreck is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.
Contents
The Story of the Rosinco
Building a Luxury Yacht
The Rosinco was first called the Georgiana III. It was built in 1916 by a company named Harlan and Hollingsworth in Wilmington, Delaware. This was a 95-foot long yacht with a strong steel body.
What made it special was its Southwart-Harris diesel engine. This engine was very powerful, with 240 horsepower. It could start up in just ten seconds! This was much faster than the steam engines that most yachts used back then. The yacht was built this way so it could be used for war if needed.
Inside the Yacht
The Georgiana III was a truly luxurious yacht. The top deck area, called the deckhouse, had walls made of shiny mahogany wood. It had a big sofa and a card table. Large glass windows offered amazing views of the water.
Below the deck, the main room was decorated with oak wood. The walls and furniture were covered in beautiful English tapestry. This room had three sofa beds and an oak dining table for eight people. There were also two sideboards with fancy glass doors. The main bedroom was also very grand, with a large bed, another pull-out bed, two dressing tables, and its own bathroom.
New Owners and a New Name
In 1918, a man named W. L. Baum from the Chicago Yacht Club bought the yacht. He changed its name to the Whitemarsh.
Then, in 1925, Robert Hosmer Morse bought the vessel. He worked for a company called Fairbanks-Morse. He renamed the yacht Rosinco. Mr. Morse also replaced the original engine with a newer, better diesel engine made by his own company.
The Sinking of the Rosinco
In September 1928, the Rosinco was traveling from Chicago, Illinois to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On September 18, Robert Hosmer Morse left the yacht in Milwaukee. The Rosinco was supposed to go back to Chicago.
But in the early morning hours of September 19, something went wrong. The Rosinco reportedly hit a raft of wooden beams. This caused a big hole in the yacht's body, and it started sinking very quickly. Luckily, all the people on board were saved. However, the ship's pet canary did not survive.
The Rosinco Today
Today, the Rosinco sits upright on the bottom of Lake Michigan. It is about 190 feet deep in the water. The cold freshwater has kept the yacht very well-preserved.
Over the years, some items have been taken by divers. Fishing nets have also snagged parts of the wreck. But the Rosinco is still mostly in one piece.
The Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association has been studying this shipwreck since 1998. The State of Wisconsin owns the Rosinco as a public treasure. It is looked after by the Wisconsin Historical Society and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Images for kids
-
USS Georgiana III (SP-83) at anchor, circa 1917-1918.
_at_anchor,_circa_1917-1918.jpg)
