Quick Facts
Vessel Name: Norlond
Type: Steamship
Specs: 153ft (L) × 25ft (B) × 9ft (D)
Construction: Wood
Year Built: 1890
Home Port: New York, NY
General Era: Late industrial turn-of-the-century era
Vessel Service: Package freight transport
Date of Loss: Nov. 13, 1922
Cause of Loss: Sprung an uncontrollable leak
Location: Lake Michigan, ~5.8 miles SSE of Milwaukee
Coordinates: 42° 58.250′ N, 87° 48.740′ W
Depth Range: 58 to 60ft (17.7 to 18.3m)
History & Story
Service History of the Eugene C. Hart / Norlond
Early Service as Eugene C. Hart
Built in 1890 by Henry and G.B. Burger in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, the wooden steamer Eugene C. Hart was constructed as a package freighter serving Great Lakes ports. Registered under official number 136131, she initially operated between Milwaukee and Chicago, carrying mixed freight typical of late 19th-century commerce.
Like many working steamers of her time, the vessel was modified and resold multiple times throughout her career. Key developments include:
- April 1893 – Lengthened in Milwaukee from 126 feet to 152.5 feet to increase cargo capacity.
- August 1901 – Broke a propeller shaft on the Soo River and was towed to DeTour, Michigan, for repairs.
- 1911 – Operated on routes between Green Bay and Sault Ste. Marie.
- 1917 – Sold during World War I and sent to the East Coast under new ownership.
- March 1919 – Renamed Norlond.
- Spring 1922 – Returned to Great Lakes service after another sale.
Over more than three decades, she changed ownership at least seven times — a reflection of both her durability and the shifting economics of Great Lakes freight trade.
Final Voyage – November 13, 1922
On November 13, 1922, Norlond departed Chicago bound for Milwaukee carrying an estimated $500,000 worth of cargo. A strong gale was sweeping across Lake Michigan, forcing the vessel to seek temporary shelter in Racine.
While in port, the crew discovered leaks in the hull. Repairs were made, and the decision was taken to continue north. Shortly after leaving Racine, the vessel began taking on water again. For approximately two hours, the crew worked to pump out the flooding, but when it became clear the water could not be controlled, the captain ordered the ship abandoned. Two lifeboats were launched, and the crew escaped only minutes before the vessel sank stern-first in approximately 58 feet of water off Milwaukee’s South Point. All crew members survived.
A Working Steamer’s End
Norlond was not a passenger liner or a headline-making disaster. She was a working package freighter — lengthened, repaired, renamed, resold, and ultimately lost after more than 30 years of service. Today, she rests in recreational depths, offering divers a tangible link to the everyday freight traffic that once connected Great Lakes ports in the late industrial era.
Historic View
Photo by Neville Public Museum
Photo Highlights
Present-Day Dive Overview
Dive Type: Recreational
Depth Range: 58 to 60ft (17.7 to 18.3m)
Certification: This site is suitable for divers with training and scuba certification(s) appropriate for the planned depth and conditions.
Depths are approximate and may vary with lake level, seasonal and weather conditions.
The Norlond met its fate in 1922, but its story did not end there. A year after sinking, the wrecking steamer Jane salvaged the ship’s engine and much of its valuable cargo, leaving behind the skeletal remains of what had once been a proud package freighter. Nearly four decades later, in 1959, legendary wreck hunter John Steele rediscovered the site approximately three miles southeast of St. Francis, Wisconsin.
Today, the Norlond rests upright in about 58 feet of water, settled into a sand and mud bottom. The 3D model clearly shows a collapsed hull structure, with the vessel’s outline defined by the exposed keel, framing timbers, and scattered structural elements. While time and salvage have reduced the ship to its framework, the site offers a clear, readable layout that makes it both engaging and approachable.
Mechanical remnants remain visible on the wreck, including the boiler, propeller, and driveshaft, providing insight into early 20th-century ship construction. Surrounding the hull are scattered remnants of the ship’s former cargo—pieces of general merchandise resting on the lakebed, silent markers of the Norlond’s final voyage.
Although the hull has largely fallen inward, the open nature of the wreck allows for safe navigation around and through the remains, with excellent opportunities to study construction details and machinery without tight confinement. At a moderate depth of 58 feet, the Norlond is accessible to most recreational divers. Visibility can vary, but on a good day the long, skeletal profile of the wreck emerges clearly from the bottom, offering a quiet and evocative dive into Great Lakes maritime history.
3D Interactive Model
Click the image or follow this link to explore the full interactive 3D model. Model and visualization © 3DShipwrecks. Used with attribution.