 TheRobert Wallace underway | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Robert Wallace |
| Operator |
|
| Port of registry |  United States |
| Builder | William H. Radcliffe |
| Launched | April 13, 1882 |
| Completed | 1882 |
| In service | April 26, 1882 |
| Out of service | November 17, 1902 |
| Identification | U.S. Registry #110518 |
| Fate | Sprang a leak and sank onLake Superior on November 17, 1902 with no loss of life |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Bulk Freighter |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 220 feet (67 m) |
| Beam | 36 feet (11 m) |
| Height | 19.6 feet (6.0 m) |
| Installed power | 1 ×Scotch marine boiler |
| Propulsion | 550 horsepowercompound steam engine |
Robert Wallace (bulk carrier) shipwreck site | |
   | |
| Location | 7 miles (11 km) south ofKnife River, Minnesota |
| Coordinates | 46°50.819′N91°43.729′W / 46.846983°N 91.728817°W /46.846983; -91.728817 |
| MPS | Minnesota's Lake Superior Shipwrecks MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 09000828[1] |
| Added to NRHP | October 14, 2009 |
SSRobert Wallace was a wooden-hulledAmericanbulk freighter that served on theGreat Lakes ofNorth America from her construction in 1882 to her sinking in 1902 onLake Superior near the town ofPalmers,St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States. On November 17, 1902, shortly after leavingSuperior, Wisconsin, with a cargo ofiron ore,Robert Wallace sprang a leak and sank.[2][3] Her wreck was found in 2006, and on October 14, 2009, the wreck ofRobert Wallace was listed in theNational Register of Historic Places.[4]
Robert Wallace (Official number 110518) was built in 1882 by William H. Radcliffe ofCleveland, Ohio, for David Wallace ofLorain, Ohio. Her homeport was Lorain. She had a length of 220 feet (67 m), a beam of 36 feet (11 m), and she had a 19.6-foot (6.0 m) depth.[2] She was powered by a small 550 horsepowercompound steam engine and fueled by a single coal-firedScotch marine boiler. She had agross tonnage of 1189.56 tons and anet tonnage of 905.38 tons.[5][2] She was launched at 2:30P.M. on April 13, 1882.[6] She usually carriedbulk cargoes such asiron ore,coal andgrain.
On August 2, 1883,Robert Wallace was towing the schooner bargeJ.M. Hill when she andJ.M. Hill were struck by lightning in theMilwaukee harbour. Both theRobert Wallace and theJ.M. Hill had their foremasts heavily damaged.[7]
On November 18, 1886,Robert Wallace was towing her schooner bargeDavid Wallace (which was named after Robert Wallace's brother) when she stranded nearMarquette, Michigan.Robert Wallace eventually caught fire and burned down. This incident almost ended her career but she was pulled off and repaired.[3][8]
On November 12, 1891,Robert Wallace ran aground because of low water in theSheboygan Harbor. She was loaded with a cargo of coal at the time of the incident. She was also towingDavid Wallace which was carrying 1,500 tons of coal and also ran aground.[9]
On October 22, 1896, the boilers ofRobert Wallace started to leak and they needed to be repaired so that she could continue her journey. She was repaired inHarbor Beach, Michigan.[10]
On November 17, 1902,Robert Wallace departed the ore docks inSuperior, Wisconsin laden with a cargo of iron ore.[3] She was also towing the schooner bargeAshland, which was also full of iron ore. About four hours after their departureRobert Wallace sprang a leak and started sinking. Accounts differ on what caused the leak. Some accounts claim thatRobert Wallace struck a floating log, others claimAshland pulled off herstern post.[3] Her crew was transferred toAshland which then sailed toTwo Harbors, Minnesota, and was towed to safety by the steel hulled tugEdna G. Even thoughRobert Wallace was loaded with iron she sank quite slowly. Hours after her crew abandoned her,Robert Wallace continued to float on the surface of Lake Superior with her lights still on. Even when she sank her pilothouse broke off and continued to float on the surface.[3]
The remains ofRobert Wallace remained undiscovered until 2006 when an unidentified diver discovered the wreck near the shipping lanes.[11] The diver reported the location of her wreck to diver Jay Hanson, who conducted a dive with wreck hunter Ken Merryman in 2006; in 2007 Hanson and Merryman captured video footage of the wreck. Later, Merryman and diver Bob Olson identified her wreck after seeing her name, still painted in white lettering on her stern.[4]
The wreck ofRobert Wallace rests relatively intact in 240 feet (73 m) of water about seven miles (11 km) south ofKnife River, Minnesota. Close by are the wrecks of several ships including the wreck of the iron hulled steamerOnoko, the steel hulled package freighterBenjamin Noble, and the wooden hulled rafting tugNiagara, all of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[12] The wreck ofRobert Wallace is the most intact known wooden-hulled bulk freighter inMinnesota waters.[A] Her hull is separated about 35 to 40 feet (11 to 12 m) at the stem, which makes exploring her wreck easier. Numerous artifacts lie outside the wreck; it is illegal to remove any artifacts because she is protected by the state of Minnesota. Her stern, however, remains intact, disproving the theory thatAshland pulled off herstern post.[3][12]
The wreck was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009 for its state-level significance in the themes of commerce, engineering,historical archaeology, and maritime history.[14] It was nominated for its significant research potential on the formative design and shipboard life of the firstlake freighters.[15]
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Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1896 | |
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Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1902 | |
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