click zoom to display a high-res image
Summary
Schooner "Lucerne"
Northeast of Long Island in Wisconsin's Apostle Islands, Lake Superior
Launched: 1873
Sank: November 16, 1886
The Lucerne was a 194.9-foot long, three-masted, clipper-bowed schooner built to haul bulk grain, coal and iron ore on the Great Lakes. During the 1870s she sailed between Lake Michigan ports and Buffalo, NY carrying Midwestern grain to the east and coal on her return trip. In her final shipping year, her ownership changed and her eastbound cargo became Lake Superior iron ore.
On her last voyage, the Lucerne offloaded coal at Washburn, Wisconsin before proceeding to nearby Ashland, where she loaded 1,256 tons of Gogebic iron ore and set sail for Cleveland. This was about 100 tons lighter than her usual summer load and probably due to the anticipated rough autumn waters of Lake Superior. The weather was clear, showing no signs of the impending snowstorm, which sank the Lucerne. Her final resting place is some sixty miles from where she was last sighted, in heavy seas and snow squalls off Ontonagon on the dangerous lea shore of Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula. She sailed west, apparently trying to find shelter in Chequamegon Bay where she had anchored, but was torn apart by one of the lake's infamous "Gales of November." None of her crew survived the wreck.
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.
Property Details
| Criteria | Event,Architecture/Engineering,Information Potential |
|---|---|
| Area Of Significance | Archeology/Historic - Non-Aboriginal,Engineering,Transportation |
| Period of Significance | 1875-1899 |
| Architectural Style | |
| Architect | Parsons & Humble |
| Resource Type | Site |
| Historic Use | Water-Related |
Resources Within The Property
| Contributing Buildings | 0 |
|---|---|
| Contributing Sites | 1 |
| Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Contributing Objects | 1 |
| Non-Contributing Buildings | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Objects | 0 |
Designations
| Historic Status | Listed in the National Register |
|---|---|
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Dec 18, 1991 |
State & National Registers of Historic Places
The State Register and National Register recognize buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that are significant in national, state, or local history. The State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the National Park Service maintains the list for Wisconsin and makes the data available to the public for research and education.
Questions?
Wondering about if your property is eligible or have other questions about the registers, reach out today!
Email UsAttribution
For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.
For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.
7 miles east of Michigan Island, Lake Superior
08000979
Located in Town of La Pointe, Ashland County
Lake Michigan
92000104
Located in Town of Washington, Door County
Lake Michigan
94000656
Located in Town of Baileys Harbor, Door County
9 miles northeast of Hika Park, Lake Michigan
10001092
Located in Town of Centerville, Manitowoc County
Lake Michigan, 1.27 miles south of the Rawley Point Lighthouse
100000949
Located in Town of Two Rivers, Manitowoc County
Address Restricted
100004028
Located in Town of Mosel, Sheboygan County
