Located 1.33 miles northeast of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, the Tubal Cain lies in quicksand 7 to 10 feet below the surface of Lake Michigan. Built in 1866, sunk in 1867, and measuring 137 feet in length, the Tubal Cain represents a unique class of vessel (barque) that was numerically one of the least common vessel types of the Great Lakes and seen early in Great Lakes shipbuilding history.

Little historical documentation exists on Great Lakes barque or canaller construction and operation. Much of our understanding of this type of vessel lays on the lakebed and comes from archaeological data from the only other known barque in Wisconsin waters, the Cherubusco.

On the morning of 26 November 1867, Tubal Cain was headed from Milwaukee carrying 18,000 bushels of wheat when she went ashore near Two Rivers. The morning produced a hard southeastern wind, rain, and heavy fog. This, along with careless navigation was determined to be the cause of the wreck. Fortunately, all crew members survived. While ashore on Sunday, a northeast gale came up that evening washing away her cabin.

By Tuesday, she had settled into the sand so deep that the deck was ten feet underwater. Her anchors and rigging were all that could be saved. Tubal Cain was partially insured between $10,000 and $18,000, and the cargo for $37,500. On 6 December the remains of the Tubal Cain were sold to Jonah Richards, Esq. for $800. It is uncertain if Richards planned on attempting to salvage the vessel. No documentation of any further actions of the Tubal Cain could be found.

The Tubal Cain site, which was documented by Wisconsin Historical Society archaeologists in June 2016, has recently been uncovered from the sand without any visitation from divers preserving the vessel’s excellent structural integrity. The site has already produced a wealth of archaeological knowledge and has the potential to yield additional important archaeological data as sands uncover more of the wreck in future years.

State and federal laws protect this shipwreck. Divers may not remove or structure when visitng this site. Removing, defacing 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, Wisconsin Shipwrecks