Lake Name: Lake Michigan
Shipwreck Name: Hennepin
Vessel Type: Built as a steamer; sunk as a barge
Location: South Haven, MI
Vessel Build Info: 1888, Wolf & Davidson, Milwaukee
Shipwreck Specs: Specs : 209x35x22 1372g 1086n
Official Number: 86016
Names Other: built as steamer GEORGE H. DYER, renamed in 1898
Sinking Detail
Burned at a dock fire at Buffalo Jul 2,1901 and declared total loss, but rebuilt and converted from a package freighter to a bulker. Later lost at storm when she sprung a leak and sunk to the bottom.
Loss Date: 8/18/1927
Loss Place: Off of South Haven
Loss Life: None
Loss Reason: Storm, leak
Vessel Cargo:
Shipwreck Description
She is intact and sits upright. She was built in 1888 as the wood-hulled steamer George H. Dyer by Wolf and Davidson of Milwaukee, Wisconsin for Davidson Steamship Company. The 208 foot long cargo vessel had a beam of 35.1 feet and a draft of 21.6 feet. She was rated at 1,372 gross tons, with a net tonnage rating of 1,086. She had one large cargo compartment rated at 1,600 tons.
Her machinery was comprised of a rebuilt steeple compound engine salvaged from the schooner-turned-steamer William. T. Graves which had been driven ashore near North Manitou Island The wreck of the Graves is still visible in 10 to 20 feet of water. The engine size was 20″” & 36″” by 30″” stroke. Her #2 boiler was built by Lake Erie Boiler Works at Buffalo, New York and was 6.5 feet in diameter. The rebuild was done by Sheriff’s Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Dive Type: Technical
Depth Deck(ft): 200 ft
Depth Bottom(ft): 230 ft
Depth Deck(m): 60 m
Depth Bottom(m): 70 m