SS Marquette (1881) facts for kids
The Marquette underway
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United States |
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| Name | Marquette |
| Operator | Gilchrist Transportation Company |
| Port of registry | U.S. Registry #110465 |
| Builder | George Presley & Company |
| Launched | April 21, 1881 |
| In service | May 16, 1881 |
| Out of service | October 15, 1903 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Lake freighter |
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| Length |
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| Beam | 35.58 ft (10.84 m) |
| Depth | 18.42 ft (5.61 m) |
| Installed power | 600 hp (450 kW) fore and aft compound steam engine |
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MARQUETTE (shipwreck)
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | Five miles east of Michigan Island |
| Nearest city | La Pointe, Wisconsin |
| Built | 1881 |
| Architect | George Presley |
| MPS | Great Lakes Shipwreck Sites of Wisconsin MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000027 |
| Added to NRHP | February 13, 2008 |
The SS Marquette was a large wooden cargo ship, known as a Lake freighter, that sailed the Great Lakes in the United States. Built in 1881, this American ship sadly sank in Lake Superior on October 15, 1903. Its remains now rest about five miles east of Michigan Island in the Apostle Islands, Ashland County, Wisconsin. The shipwreck of the Marquette is important because it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 13, 2008, helping to protect it.
Contents
Building the Marquette
The ship we know as the Marquette was first named the Republic. It was built in 1881 in Cleveland, Ohio, by a company called George Presley & Company. The Republic Iron Company of Marquette, Michigan, ordered the ship to be their main vessel for carrying goods.
The Republic was made mostly of wood. It was about 245 feet (75 m) long overall, which is longer than two basketball courts! Its widest part, called the beam, was about 35.58 feet (10.84 m) across, and its hull was 18.42 feet (5.61 m) deep. The ship could carry a lot of cargo, with a gross register tonnage of 1343.23 tons. It was powered by a steam engine that helped it move through the water.
This ship was special because it used new ways to make its hull stronger, like adding iron straps. This allowed it to carry more weight and have a longer, tougher body, which was important for ships on the Great Lakes.
Early Journeys and Changes
The Republic was officially launched into the water on April 21, 1881. Its very first trip, called its maiden voyage, was on May 10, 1881. It sailed to Marquette, Michigan, and even towed two other ships, the Ironton and the E.P. Beals, along the way.
Over the years, the Republic had a few adventures. In May 1887, it got stuck on Grand Island, Michigan. A few years later, on May 15, 1890, while towing another ship on Lake Superior, its engine broke down. It had to be towed all the way back to Cleveland, Ohio, for repairs. During these repairs, its old engine was replaced with a new, more powerful one. Later that same year, in 1890, the Republic was given a new name: the Marquette.
The Last Trip
On October 14, 1903, the Marquette arrived in Ashland, Wisconsin. There, it loaded up with a huge amount of iron ore, about 2,019 tons in total. This heavy cargo was meant to be taken to Cleveland, Ohio.
Around midnight, the crew told Captain Caughill that the ship was taking on water. The captain went to check and saw that water was rushing in very quickly. He immediately ordered all the ship's pumps to start working. He also changed course, heading towards Michigan Island, which was about 25 miles away.
As the Marquette got closer to Michigan Island, it sank deeper and deeper into the water. Around 2:45 A.M., Captain Caughill told 13 of his crew members to get into the lifeboats and leave the ship. The captain, along with the second engineer, the second mate, and a watchman, stayed behind. They wanted to try and guide the ship to Michigan Island.
About an hour later, the ship began to sink very fast. The four remaining men quickly got into a lifeboat and rowed away just in time. As the Marquette went down, air trapped inside the ship caused its cabins to blow off. The ship itself was worth about $65,000, and its cargo was worth $50,000.
There was a theory that the Marquette might have been sunk on purpose for money reasons. This was because it was one of five ships lost by the J.C. Gilchrist fleet in 1903, which was a very unlucky year for them.
Finding the Shipwreck
The wreck of the Marquette was first found in 2005. However, divers couldn't actually reach it until the next year. Mapping and studying the shipwreck was a team effort. Groups like the Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society, the Wisconsin Historical Society, and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Research Foundation all worked together.
The Marquette Today
Today, the remains of the Marquette rest in about 215 feet (66 m) of water, which is quite deep! It's located about five miles east of Michigan Island. When the ship sank, its upper parts broke away. So, the hull (the main body of the ship) is broken, especially towards the back.
Even though the hull is broken, you can still see its engine and propeller standing upright. Much of the hull is covered in the iron ore it was carrying. Divers have also found other items around the wreck, like its boiler, smokestack, and pieces of china.
The Marquette shipwreck is important to history. It was added to the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places in 2007 and then to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. These listings help protect the wreck from people who might try to take artifacts from it.
