Two Wisconsin Shipwrecks Added to Register of Historic Places

Two shipwrecks discovered in the waters off Wisconsin — Advance and Emeline — have recently been added to the state’s Register of Historic Places.

Built in Milwaukee in 1853, schooner Advance shipped lumber and grain throughout the Great Lakes. In September of 1885, the vessel capsized southeast of Sheboygan. The ship sank within 200 feet of shore, with five lives lost. Today, the vessel sits upright and broken on the lake bottom with most of its hull components extant with artifacts located within the hull, including the vessel’s centerboard, windlass, bowsprit and jibboom. The Advance shipwreck provides historians and archaeologists the chance to study early schooner construction.

The remains of the wooden double centerboard schooner Emeline lie in about 18 feet of water near Baileys Harbor. Built in 1862, the ship spent most of its career carrying lumber throughout the Great Lakes region. In 1896, Emeline capsized after being caught in a squall.

For more info, visit wisconsinhistory.org.