SS S.C. Baldwin facts for kids
class="infobox " style="float: right; clear: right; width: 315px; border-spacing: 2px; text-align: left; font-size: 90%;"
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; line-height: 1.5em;" | 
|}
The SS S.C. Baldwin was a steam-powered barge made of wood. It was built in 1871. This ship sank in a big storm on August 26, 1908. This happened in Lake Michigan, near Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Sadly, one person lost their life. On August 22, 2016, the remains of the S.C. Baldwin were added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site.
Contents
- Ship's Early Life and Changes
- Accidents and New Owners
- Becoming a Barge and Final Trip
- The Last Voyage
- S.C. Baldwin Today
Ship's Early Life and Changes
.jpg)
The S.C. Baldwinwith two schooners
The S.C. Baldwin was built in 1871. It was made by Campbell, Owen & Company in Detroit, Michigan. The ship was built for the Escanaba & Lake Michigan Transportation Company. Its main job was to carry iron ore. It moved ore from Escanaba, Michigan to ports like Chicago, Illinois and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The ship was named after an officer from a railroad company.
The S.C. Baldwin was about 160 feet (49 m) long. It was 30 feet (9.1 m) wide. Its cargo area was 11 feet (3.4 m) deep. It could carry about 418 tons of cargo. A powerful high-pressure steam engine moved the ship. This engine was built by the Dry Dock Engine Works.
In 1873, the S.C. Baldwin got a second deck added. This made it bigger, able to carry 634 tons. People believed it was the first double-decked steamer on the Great Lakes.
Accidents and New Owners
The S.C. Baldwin had several accidents over the years. In 1876, it ran aground on Lake Huron. Later that year, it crashed into another ship called the Ellen Spry. In 1877, it went ashore near Alpena, Michigan. After this, it was repaired in Detroit.
The ship changed owners many times. In 1879, it was sold to the Inter Ocean Transportation Company. Then in 1882, David Whitney Jr. bought it. He removed the second deck to make it better for carrying lumber. After this change, it could carry about 412.5 tons.
More problems happened. In 1884, it was damaged near Ashland, Wisconsin. It also had engine trouble and faced a storm near Port Colborne, Ontario. Because of these issues, the ship was rebuilt. It got new steel supports. Its old engine was replaced with a stronger one. This new engine had 450-horsepower (340 kW).
In 1886, the S.C. Baldwin got stuck in Lake George (Michigan–Ontario). Another ship, the SS R.J. Hackett, was also stuck. Tugboats helped free both ships. The S.C. Baldwin was sold again in 1891 and 1892. In 1894, it crashed with another steamer and sank in 35 feet (11 m) of water.
Becoming a Barge and Final Trip
In 1903, the S.C. Baldwin was carrying lumber. It hit a big ice pack in Green Bay (Lake Michigan) and sank. This happened about 10 miles (16 km) north of the Fox River. Two tugboats tried to raise it, but could only move it a short distance. This caused its lumber cargo to fall off. The top part of its cabin also broke off.
In April 1904, the S.C. Baldwin was finally raised. Adolph Green of the Green Stone Company bought it. Even though its rudder and bottom were damaged, most of its body was fine. In July 1904, the Green Stone Company decided to turn it into a barge. They removed its engine and other machinery.
By June 1905, the S.C. Baldwin began a new job. It started hauling limestone. It carried stone from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, to Milwaukee and other ports. It traveled along the west coast of Lake Michigan.
The Last Voyage
On August 26, 1908, the S.C. Baldwin was on its last trip. It was carrying stone with another boat, scow No.37. A tugboat named Torrent was pulling both of them. They ran into a storm near Kewaunee, Wisconsin. Around midnight, the S.C. Baldwin started taking on water.
At about 3:00 A.M., the S.C. Baldwin flipped over. The crew of the Torrent didn't notice until the sun came up. When it flipped, two crew members jumped off. One crewman was left clinging to the ship's hull. When the Torrent's crew saw what happened, they cut the rope connecting the S.C. Baldwin. The S.C. Baldwin then flipped over again and sank completely.
The remaining crewman was rescued. The Torrent searched for the missing crew members. When they couldn't find them, they went to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. They told the lifesaving station there. The Torrent and other boats went back to get scow No.37. They also continued searching for the missing men. On August 28, Captain George Heim, the captain of the S.C. Baldwin, was found alive. A few days later, the body of Jacob Witgen, the other missing crewman, washed ashore.
S.C. Baldwin Today
The sunken ship S.C. Baldwin was found in the mid-1970s. Sport fishermen reported its location to divers. Today, the wreck is a popular place for divers. It lies in only 75 feet (23 m) of water. The ship sits upright on the lakebed. Its front part, called the stempost, is still standing. The wreck also includes its back part, the stern deck, and the transom. In 2015, the Wisconsin Historical Society studied the wreck. They did a full archaeological survey of the site.
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States |
|
| Name | S.C. Baldwin |
| Owner | Adolph Green |
| Builder | Campbell, Owen & Company |
| Launched | 1871 |
| In service | 1871 |
| Out of service | August 27, 1908 |
| Identification | U.S. Registry #23957 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 418 GRT |
| Length | 160 ft (49 m) |
| Beam | 30 ft (9.1 m) |
| Depth | 10 ft (3.0 m) |
| Installed power | High pressure steam engine |
|
S.C. Baldwin Shipwreck (barge)
|
|
 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 2.3 miles (3.7 km) SSE of Rawley Point Light in Lake Michigan |
| Nearest city | Two Rivers, Wisconsin |
| Built | 1871 |
| Architect | Stephen R. Kirby |
| Architectural style | Steam barge |
| NRHP reference No. | 16000565 |
| Added to NRHP | August 22, 2016 |
