1 September 2005 Mahoning, Port Washington
(September 01, 2005)
Mahoning's windlass
On Saturday, August 27, the WHS Maritime Preservation and Archaeology Program received a call from diver Brad Ingersoll, indicating that he had located a shipwreck whose location was previously unknown to our office. Approximately 3 miles south of Port Washington, Brad believed the wreck was that of the brig Mahoning.
Early style bow
The Mahoning was built in 1847 by William Jones in Black River, Ohio. On November 4, 1864, bound for Chicago with a load of lumber from Green Bay, she was driven ashore in a gale south of Sheboygan. On December 1, 1864 after being patched and hauled off the beach, she was under tow of the tug W.K. Muir and bound for the Milwaukee shipyard when water began rising in the hold and the seas again began to kick up. The heavy weight of the pumps on deck and the rolling sea caused the Mahoning to capsize, trapping the captain and mate below deck, taking them to the bottom.
Capstan
Brigs were rare on the Great Lakes, as is their presence in the archaeological record of vessels on the lake bottom. Schooners were more economically viable, their fore-and-aft sails easier to manage from the deck, requiring a smaller crew. The brig’s square-rigged sails required the crew to climb the rigging, and generally made the brigs less maneuverable in the Great Lake's varible winds.
Small boiler lays off the starboard side of the wreckage
Today Keith Meverden and Tamara Thomsen along with WHS Research Divers Kimm Stabelfeldt and Bob Jaeck headed out to the wreck to examine and document the site. Our group was joined by Brad Ingersoll, Jim Bach, Roger Son and Meg Olson (a reporter from the Miwaukee Journal Sentinel).
The wreck is mostly broken up in 60 feet of water. Keith spent the first of two dives examining construction techniques, finding an early style bow, evidence of two masts, and a small boiler (used in the original salvage of the vessel) laying off wreck's starboard side. His second dive was devoted to piloting the scooter-cam to capture video for a photomosaic and site plan. Kimm shot additional video documenting smaller features and Tami took still images.
Foc'sle hatch
Bob measured the centerboard trunk. Since this vessel is broken up and the wreckage is scattered, it is difficult to obtain accurate length or width measurements to positively identify the vessel. The centerboard trunk has fallen over but lays intact on top of the wreckage. Depth of hold measurements can be matched to the historic records and aid in positively identifying this vessel.
The vessel's dimensions, location, the small pump boiler, evidence of two masts, and the early bow construction make it likely that this vessel is indeed that of the brig Mahoning.
WHS photos by Tamara Thomsen
