Learn more about The Margaret A. Muir Shipwreck

The schooner Margaret A. Muir, an American vessel, went down during a storm on Lake Michigan on September 30, 1893. More than a century later, on May 12, 2024, its wreck was found submerged in 50 feet (15 meters) of water near Algoma, Wisconsin.

The Margaret A. Muir was a 130-foot (40-meter) wooden schooner with three masts, constructed in 1872 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Originally designed for transporting grain, the vessel spent 21 years hauling cargo throughout the Great Lakes region.

On the morning of September 30, 1893, the schooner was en route from Bay City, Michigan, to South Chicago, Illinois, carrying 4,375 barrels of salt. Captain David Clow reported that the ship had successfully passed through the Straits of Mackinac and was making its way toward the Wisconsin shoreline. According to Captain Clow, the Margaret A. Muir was approximately four miles from shore when the storm struck. Around 5:00 a.m., the vessel encountered a severe storm with winds reaching 50 miles per hour (80 kilometers per hour). By approximately 7:30 a.m., waves had grown in intensity and were crashing over the deck of the Muir.

As the Margaret A. Muir approached the harbor at Ahnapee—modern-day Algoma—Captain Clow discovered several feet of water flooding the hold. Recognizing the danger, he ordered the crew to abandon ship. Despite battling 15-foot (4.6-meter) waves, all six crew members managed to reach the shore safely, where local residents offered them shelter and dry clothing. He recalled several close calls as the crew struggled to reach land through the rough waters. At one point, Clow feared that the entire crew might be lost. Fortune was on their side, and all members made it to shore safely. The schooner sank almost immediately after the order was given.

The only life lost was the captain’s dog, who served as the ship’s mascot. Clow described the animal as intelligent, loyal, and beloved by both himself and the crew.

On May 12, 2024—131 years after the Margaret A. Muir sank—a team of maritime historians affiliated with the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association located the wreck. Maritime historian Brendon Baillod, who located the wreck on May 12, 2024, alongside colleagues Robert Jaeck and Kevin Cullen, described the find as an important archaeological breakthrough. The remains of the schooner were discovered in 50 feet (15 meters) of water just a few miles off the coast near Algoma Harbor.

The vessel’s deck had detached, and the hull had split open, revealing the ship’s interior and offering a clear view of its construction techniques. Remarkably, much of the original deck equipment remains in place, including handpumps, a bow windlass, a capstan, and two sizable anchors.

Clow did not believe the vessel sank due to a leak, noting that the ship’s pump had been working properly. In his view, the schooner was overwhelmed by the sheer force of the gale and the massive waves it produced.