SS J.M. Allmendinger facts for kids
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|} The SS J.M. Allmendinger was a steam-powered barge made of wood. It was built in 1883. This ship got stuck during a big storm on November 26, 1895. It happened on Lake Michigan, near Mequon, Wisconsin. The ship's remains were later added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 11, 2018. This means it is an important historical site.
Contents
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States |
|
| Name | J.M. Allmendinger |
| Owner | E.B. Simpson |
| Port of registry |  United States, Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Builder | Albert Burgoyne |
| Launched | 1883 |
| In service | 1883 |
| Out of service | November 26, 1895 |
| Identification | U.S. Registry #76411 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage |
|
| Length | 104 ft (32 m) |
| Beam | 24.33 ft (7.42 m) |
| Depth | 10 ft (3.0 m) |
| Installed power | Fore and aft compound steam engine |
|
J.M. Allmendinger (Steambarge) Shipwreck
|
|
 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 2.5 mi (4.0 km) SSE of Concordia U. in Lake Michigan |
| Nearest city | Mequon, Wisconsin |
| Built | 1883 |
| Architect | Albert Burgoyne |
| Architectural style | Steam barge |
| MPS | Great Lakes Shipwreck Sites of Wisconsin MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 100003012 |
| Added to NRHP | October 11, 2018 |
The J.M. Allmendinger: A Ship's Story
The J.M. Allmendinger (Official number 76411) was built in 1883. A shipbuilder named Albert Burgoyne created her in Benton Harbor, Michigan. She was named after John Allmendinger, who owned the ship with Samuel Hull. They were fruit sellers.
The ship was about 104 feet (32 m) long. Her beam (width) was 24.33 feet (7.42 m). The cargo hold (where goods were stored) was 10 feet (3.0 m) deep. She was powered by a special steam engine and one boiler. The J.M. Allmendinger mainly carried lumber. She also transported iron ore and other general goods.
Adventures and Accidents
The J.M. Allmendinger had a few close calls during her time.
- In May 1887, she ran aground (got stuck) in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. A tugboat helped pull her free.
- In July 1889, part of a bridge hit her hull. This damaged fourteen of her support beams.
- In May 1890, she got stuck again near Whitehall, Michigan. Another steamer, the Hilton, helped her get unstuck.
- In May 1892, she stranded on a reef near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Two tugboats, Welcome and Carl, freed her.
- In November 1893, she grounded north of Milwaukee. The tug Welcome and another boat helped her.
- In June 1894, she was towed to Manistee, Michigan for repairs.
The Ship's Last Journey
On November 26, 1895, the J.M. Allmendinger was sailing from Milwaukee. She was heading to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin with a load of lumber. A big blizzard hit, and the ship was blown off course. She ran aground on a beach around 3:00 A.M. The ship ended up about 500 feet (150 m) off the coast of Mequon, Wisconsin.
Captain Peterson and his eight crew members were saved. A life-saving team rescued them. An old newspaper from April 24, 1897, described what happened to the ship after it got stuck:
The steambarge J.M. Allmendinger... was abandoned as a total loss... Not a trace of the ship remains where she struck. The constant beating of heavy seas... finally broke the hull apart. Every bit of the steamer was wiped out in a single night.
The J.M. Allmendinger Today
The remains of the J.M. Allmendinger were found again in July 1934. Max Nohl, Jack Browne, and Verne Netzow discovered them. They used a raft, homemade diving helmets, and oxygen tanks to explore the wreck.
Today, the shipwreck lies about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of Concordia University in Mequon, Wisconsin. It is about 1,035 feet (315 m) from the shore. The wreck is in 12 feet (3.7 m) of water. What's left includes the main support beam (keelson), lower frames, the rudder, the boiler, and the steam drum.
