Lucerne(shipwreck)
46°43.389′N90°46.035′W/ 46.723150°N 90.767250°W
 An early 1880s photograph of theLucerne
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Lucerne |
| Owner | William Mack (part owner) |
| Operator | Captain George George S. Lloyd, skipper William Mack |
| Port of registry |  United States |
| Launched | April 23, 1873 |
| Fate | Lost with all 10[1]hands in a storm on November 17 or 18, 1886 |
| Status | Added to theNational Register of Historic Placesin 1991 |
| Notes | Location:46°43.389′N90°46.035′W/ 46.723150°N 90.767250°W[2] |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Schooner |
| Tonnage | 728 gross tons |
| Length | 195 feet (59 m) |
| Capacity | 1,330 |
| Crew | 9 |
Lucerne(Shipwreck) | |
| Nearest city | La Pointe, Wisconsin |
| NRHP referenceNo. | 91001775 |
| Added to NRHP | December 18, 1991 |
Lucernewas a commercialschooner.In November 1886, she sank due to bad weather inLake Superior,offLong IslandinChequamegon Bay.The site of the wreck was added to theNational Register of Historic Placesin 1991.[3]
History[edit]
Lucernewas launched on April 23, 1873. She was nearly 195 feet (59 m) long and reportedly cost $55,000 to build.[4]
On November 15, 1886,Lucernewas loaded with 1,200 tons ofiron oreat herhome port,Ashland,Wisconsin.The load was consigned toLittle, Oglebay and CompanyofCleveland,Ohio.[5]After the delivery, thecaptainand crew began a voyage back to Ashland. With new canvassailsand a light wind blowing, all the signs pointed to a speedy voyage home. However, a Novembersnowstormon the lake began developing that night.[5]
On November 17 or 18, 1886,Lucernesuccumbed to the violent storm, and sank off Long Island.[6]At the height of the storm, the captain of the shipFred Kellyhad sightedLucerne,butFred Kellyunfortunately could not offer any help to the distressed ship under the circumstances. Nobody witnessedLucerne's final minutes, and none of the crew survived.[5]
William Mack, part owner ofLucerne,became worried when the ship never arrived back at Ashland. He telegraphedBayfield,Wisconsin, and asked for asearch vesselto be sent.[5]The boatS. B. Barkerwas dispatched for the purpose, but did not have to go far to find the wreckage ofLucerne.TheS. B. Barker′s crew discovered threemastssticking out of the water. Upon closer inspection, they saw three of the ship's crew members there, frozen solid in three inches (76 mm) of ice. Apparently they had climbed to the top of the masts to escape the freezing waters ofLake Superiorand had perished there while waiting to be rescued.[5]The three bodies were moved to Bayfield.[1]
See also[edit]
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Items recovered from theLucerneshipwreck site, on display at theMadeline Island Historical Museum. -
This capstan was used to raise the great canvas sails and to handle mooring lines aboard the three-masted schoonerLucerne.It remains on display at the Bayfield Maritime Museum.
References[edit]
- ^abWisconsin Shipwrecks
- ^"Great Lakes Shipwrecks".Archived fromthe originalon 2 June 2013.Retrieved21 July2013.
- ^"Lucerne (Shipwreck): La Pointe, Wisconsin".Find the Data.org. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-07-10.Retrieved2012-01-22.
- ^"Service History".Wisconsin Shipwrecks.org. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-04-28.Retrieved2012-01-22.
- ^abcdeKeller, James (1984).The Unholy Apostles.pp. 39–44.ISBN0-933577-001.
- ^"Final Voyage".Wisconsin Shipwrecks.org. Archived fromthe originalon 2010-12-03.Retrieved2012-01-22.
