Located 4.15 miles northeast of Two Rivers, Wisconsin off Point Beach State Forest in Lake Michigan, the wreck site of the La Salle lies partially embedded in quicksand in 11 to 15 feet of water. The La Salle was constructed by the shipwrights John Humble and Samuel Parsons at the Parson’s & Humble shipyard near Tonawanda, New York in 1874 and was specifically designed for the lumber and grain trade between Lake Michigan and the lower Lakes. Much of our understanding of this vessel type lays on the lakebed and comes from archaeological data recovered from wreck sites similar to the La Salle, such as the Daniel Lyons, the America, the Walter B. Allen, and the Floretta.

On October 22nd, 1875, the La Salle loaded with 22,000 bushels of wheat departed for Buffalo, New York. As the schooner sailed north into the teeth of a gale on the night of October 25th, she unslipped her rudder while abreast of Two Rivers Point (Rawley Point). Before the captain could get the vessel to come to anchor, she struck bottom and drifted shoreward. There she became imbedded in quicksand. The vessel filled with water, her quarters sank nine feet underwater, forcing her crew into the rigging. The men remained aloft all night where they anxiously awaited daybreak. Come morning they were rescued by fisherman from Two Rivers, Wisconsin. After a brief salvage attempt, she was subsequently abandoned.

Many of the larger artifacts associated with the La Salle were salvaged after sinking, but it is still likely that other artifacts are buried in the gelatinous sand. The archaeological data collected during the 2015 survey has provided additional information about the construction of Great Lakes canallers and nineteenth century maritime commerce, but more remains to be uncovered beneath a thick layer of quicksand.

State and federal laws protect this shipwreck. Divers may not remove artifacts or structure when visiting this shipwreck site. Removing, defacing, displacing or destroying artifacts or sites is a crime. More information on Wisconsin's historic shipwrecks may be found by visiting Wisconsin's Great Lakes Shipwrecks website.