Gallinipper

For the gallinipper, a large New World mosquito, seePsorophora ciliata.For the gallinipper, an American cryptid, seeGallinipper (mythology).

Wreck of theGallinipper
History
United States
Name	Nancy Dousman
Builder	Augustus Jones and G. W. Cochran,Black River,Ohio
Completed	1833
Renamed	Gallinipper,c. 1846
Homeport	Chicago,Illinois
Fate	Sank July 1851
General characteristics
Type	Schooner
Length	95 feet (29 m)
Beam	21.8 feet (6.6 m)
Depth	7.9 feet (2.4 m)
Propulsion	Sails
Sail plan	Two-mastedschoonerrig

GallinipperShipwreck (Schooner)
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location	Lake Michiganoff the coast ofCenterville, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
Coordinates	43.912986°N 87.484484°W/43.912986; -87.484484
NRHP referenceNo.	10001091
Added to NRHP	December 28, 2010

Sonarimage of the wreck ofGallinipper,June 12, 2022.

Gallinipperwas aschoonerthat sank inLake Michiganoff the coast ofCenterville, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin,United States.In 2010, the shipwreck site was added to theNational Register of Historic Places.

Service history

Nancy Dousman

Originally namedNancy Dousman,the ship was built in 1833by Augustus Jones and G. W. Cochran on theBlack RiverinOhio,for Michael Dousman, the western agent forJohn Jacob Astor'sAmerican Fur Company.Named for Dousman's daughter Nancy,Nancy Dousmancarried goods from theeastern United Statesto theWisconsin Territoryfrontier and returned withfursfrom the frontier for markets in the eastern United States.Nancy Dousmanalso carried employees of the American Fur Company and other passengers, including immigrants who settled the Wisconsin Territory's frontier.In addition to his work for the fur company, Dousman established awarehouse,gristmill,andsawmillatMilwaukee,Wisconsin Territory, in 1835, and he usedNancy Dousmanto bring supplies to Milwaukee and transportgrainto markets in the eastern United States.

Nancy Dousmanwas sold to new owners a number of times.She ran aground at least twice, but was refloated each time.

Gallinipper

In 1846,shipwrightHenry Gibson rebuilt the ship at Milwaukee, increasing her cargo capacity.RenamedGallinipper,she returned to service, based at Milwaukee and engaged in transporting cargoes oflumber.She again was sold and resold,and experienced a number of mishaps, sinking atBeaver IslandinLake Michiganon July 7, 1848, running aground at Milwaukee in 1850; and sinking at the mouth of theMilwaukee Riverin May 1851.She was refloated and returned to service each time.

During a voyage fromMilwaukee,Wisconsin,toBay de Noque,Michigan,to pick up a cargo oflumberand carrying a crew of seven and two passengers,Gallinippercapsizedin Lake Michigan 8 to 10 nautical miles (15 to 19 km; 9.2 to 11.5 mi) off the coast of Wisconsin betweenManitowocandSheboyganduring a rainsquallon July 7, 1851.She righted herself, but then capsized again, and her crew and passengers abandoned ship and were rescued by the schoonerCleopatra.Waterlogged,Gallinipperbecame mostly submerged, but did not sink.The schoonerCrooksighted her on 9 July 1851 and reported her to be nearly underwater.The schoonerConvoylater made an unsuccessful attempt to take her undertow10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) from Manitowoc, but gave up and abandoned her 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi)southeast by eastof Manitowoc aftersalvaginghermainsail,mainboom,and maingaff.Despite a search for her by hercaptain,she was not found again and was presumed to have sunk.Valued atUSD$3,000 andinsuredfor USD$2,000, she was declared atotal loss.

Wreck

Gallinipper′s wreck was discovered in 1994 in 210 feet (64 m) of water by acommercial fishermanwhosefishing netssnagged on it.The wreck remained unidentified until a 2009archaeologicalsurvey of it by theWisconsin Historical Society.On December 28, 2010, the shipwreck site was placed on theNational Register of Historic Places.The wreck was included within the boundaries of theWisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuarywhen it was created in 2021.

Gallinipper′s wreck is the oldest known shipwreck in Wisconsin's waters.It is a rare example of an earlyGreat Lakestrading schooner.Few trading schooners were built for service on the western Great Lakes, and little other evidence of them remains, despite their importance in maintaining trade and communication among frontier communities on the Great Lakes and between them and cities in the eastern United States.

The wreck lies offCentervillein the waters ofManitowoc County,Wisconsin, 9.5 miles (15.3 km) east ofHika Bay Park.It sits upright on the lake bottom with itsbowslightly higher than itssternand with a 20-degree list tostarboard.Thehullis intact and covered bysiltandmussels.Thestanding rigginghas been damaged by fishing nets snagging on it and efforts by fishermen to free the nets, resulting in themainmastbeing pulled from the mast step and toppling forward so that it rests at an angle over the bow, theforemastbreaking loose from the hull and coming to the surface, and most of the rest of the rigging—including a boom, gaff,topmast,and twoyards—being deposited on the lake floor to starboard of the wreck.Fishing net is wrapped around the stern, runs along the lake bed on either side of the hull, and is draped over the mainmast and forwarddeck.

Gallinipper′s foremast is on display at theRogers Street Fishing VillageinTwo Rivers,Wisconsin.