Frank O'Connor (bulk carrier) | |
 TheFrank O'Connor in dock | |
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| Location | Lake Michigan off the coast ofNorth Bay, Door County, Wisconsin |
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| Coordinates | 45°6′52″N87°0′44″W / 45.11444°N 87.01222°W /45.11444; -87.01222 |
| NRHP reference No. | 94000656 |
| Added to NRHP | June 1, 1994 |
SSFrank O'Connor was abulk carrier ship that sank inLake Michigan off the coast ofNorth Bay, Door County, Wisconsin, United States in 1919. In 1994 the shipwreck site was added to theNational Register of Historic Places.[1]
Originally called theCity of Naples, theFrank O'Connor was built inWest Bay City, Michigan in 1892.[2] The vessel was renamed in 1916.[3]
On September 29, 1919,Frank O'Connor leftBuffalo, New York en route toMilwaukee, Wisconsin carrying 3,000 tons of coal.[4] Three days later, she passed through theStraits of Mackinac and was expected to make port ahead of schedule. On October 3 at 4:00 p.m., a fire broke out in thebow. Roughly an hour later, the ship's steering gear was destroyed by the fire, leaving it drifting in the water about two miles off the coast ofCana Island. The keeper of theCana Island Light had noticed the burning vessel from land and, along with his assistant, was able to tow theO'Connor's crew on their lifeboats to shore. A portion of theFrank O'Connor's cargo was later recovered, but the ship itself remained lost.[5]
Despite the fire, most ofFrank O'Connor's machinery remained intact and upright, making it a popular archaeological and recreational site. The ship is owned by the State of Wisconsin and the site is managed by theWisconsin Historical Society and theWisconsin Department of Natural Resources.[6] She lies in 50 to 67 feet (15 to 20 m) of water about 2 miles (3 km) off Cana Island.[7]
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