Historic Shipwreck

Historic Shipwreck. Steamer Louisiana. , Steamer Louisiana , Type: Wooden bulk carrier , Built: 1887, Morley and Hill, Marine , City, Mich. , Sank: Nov. 8, 1913, fire and storm , Length: 267.0 , Beam: 39.6 , Cargoes: coal, iron ore , Propulsion: Fore and aft compound steam engine: propeller , Depth: 5-20 , Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992 , In Nov. 1913, the bulk carrier Louisiana sailed into the worst storm in Grear Lakes history. En route from Milwaukee to the ore docks of Escanaba, Mich., she slipped through Death's Door near midnight on Nov. 8. Heavy seas and 70 mph winds forced the captain to seek shelter in Washington Harbor, but the storm drove the vessel aground. The dire situation worsened when the crew discovered a fire in the hold. Unable to exquish the blaze, the 17 crew members took to the lifeboat, leaving the Louisiana to the ravages of fire and storm. The crew landed safely on shore, but the Great Storm of 1913 blew unabated for four days, sinking 20 vessels, damaging 71 others, and claiming the lives of 248 sailors. , Despite the storm's fury, much of the Louisiana survived, and today the site is ideal for kayakers, snorkelers, and divers. Almost 240' of bilge lies on the gradually sloping bottom, while a 16' bow section sits on the shore 100' south of the wreck. Although the machinery was salvaged in 1920, artifacts such as hearings, pipes, and sheet metal surround the iron engine mount and broken cylinders in the stern.