Queen of the West
| Ship Name: | Queen of the West |
|---|---|
| Also Known As: | None |
| Type of Ship: | Steamer, Propeller, Wooden Hull, Oak |
| Ship Size: | 215' x 32.50' x 16.33' |
| Ship Owner: | C.L. Hutchinson and other partners, Cleveland, Ohio |
| Gross Tonnage: | 818.84 |
| Net Tonnage: | 625 |
| Typical Cargo: | Bulk Freight, Iron Ore, Coal, Grain |
| Year Built: | 1881 - West Bay City, MI by William Crosthwaite Shipyards |
| Official Wreck Number: | 20584 |
|---|---|
| Wreck Location: | 41 50.750 N 81 23.160 W (Alchem) |
| Type of Ship at Loss: | Same |
| Cargo on Ship at Loss: | Iron Ore |
| Captain of Ship at Loss: | Captain Massey |
Approximately 8 miles north of Fairport Harbor, Ohio
This wreck is rather deep (71 feet) and is recommended for advanced divers. Much of the wooden hull and timbers are gone, with the bow being the most intact structure. The stern area is either gone or fallen to the bottom. The most impressive remains of this wreck are the huge engine, boiler, winches, chain and the bow windlass. The midsection decking of the wreck is gone, leaving the hull open. This popular shipwreck is scheduled for mooring buoy placement by MAST in the near future. ( C. Kohl, Vitas Kijaskas- Discovery Dive Charters)
According to an article in the Buffalo Evening News August 21, 1903, the Queen of the West was headed for Erie Pennsylvania from Escanaba, Michigan, with a load of iron ore. She stopped briefly in Cleveland to leave an accompanying vessel, the Sage, and then proceeded on her journey into building seas. At approximately 4 AM, the oak hull was found to have sprung a rather serious leak. The pumps were not able to keep up with the flow pouring into the hull, and with the seas building and washing over the deck, she began sinking. A distress signal was sent out, and the crew attempted to launch a lifeboat, only to have it overturned in the high waves. As the crew had almost lost all hope, another vessel, the steamer Codorus, appeared on the site and took the crew off the sinking ship. The rescue was quite precarious in the heavy seas, with some of the crew being injured during the transfer. Two passengers, the daughters of the Chief Engineer, were noted to have been almost swept overboard in the heavy seas while waiting to be rescued. Just minutes after the last of the crew had been taken onboard the Codorus, the Queen of the West slipped beneath the surface to her final resting place 70 feet below on Lake Erie's muddy bottom. Fortunately, no lives were lost in this mishap.
The Queen of the West was rebuilt in 1901 at Cleveland, Ohio, resulting in a change in her tonnage capabilities (818 gross, 625 net to 876 gross, 588 net).
Great Lakes Historical Society, Peachman Lake Erie Shipwreck Research Center, Vermilion, Ohio
Buffalo Evening News, Friday, August 21, 1903; Saturday, August 22, 1903
Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Great Lakes Vessels Online Index - University Libraries / Bowling Green State University
Maritime History of the Great Lakes: Shipwrecks: - http://www.hhpl.on.ca/GreatLakes/Wrecks/Details
The Great Lakes Diving Guide, Chris Kohl, 2001, Seawolf Communications, Chicago
Great Lakes Guide to Sunken Ships, Karl. E. Heden, 1993, Branden Books Boston, Mass
Vitas Kijaskas- Discovery Dive Charters, Euclid, Ohio
Alchem.inc, http://www.alcheminc.com/ash
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This web site was prepared by the Ohio Sea Grant College Program using Federal funds under award NA16NOS4190094 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Office of Coastal Management. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, or the Office of Coastal Management.