Walter L. Frost was a wooden steamer ship that operated on the Great Lakes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Constructed in 1883 by the Detroit Dry Dock Company, the ship met its end in 1903 after running aground on South Manitou Island in Lake Michigan during dense fog.[1] The wreck is a popular dive site within the Manitou Passage Underwater Preserve.[2]
 Walter L. Frost in the 1890s
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Walter L. Frost |
| Namesake | Walter L. Frost (railroad executive) |
| Owner | Rutland Transit Company |
| Builder | Detroit Dry Dock Company |
| Launched | 1883 |
| In service | 1883 |
| Out of service | November 4, 1903 |
| Fate | Wrecked on South Manitou Island |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Wooden steamer |
| Tonnage | 1,322 GRT |
| Length | 235.58 feet (71.80 m) |
| Beam | 36.75 feet (11.20 m) |
| Depth | 12.75 feet (3.89 m) |
| Propulsion | Steam engine |
History
editConstruction and early service
editThe Walter L. Frost was built in 1883 by the Detroit Dry Dock Company[1] and named after Walter L. Frost, an executive associated with the Ogdensburg & Lake Champlain Railroad Company and later the Rutland Transit Company. The vessel primarily transported corn and other goods between ports on the Great Lakes.
Final voyage
editOn November 4, 1903, the Walter L. Frost departed Manistique, Michigan, loaded with corn and heading for Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Encountering a dense fog bank near South Manitou Island, the ship's crew became disoriented and the vessel ran aground on the island's rocky shore.[2]
Shipwreck and aftermath
editThe crew managed to escape to the island without loss of life, but the ship itself was beyond saving. Battered by waves and ice, the hull broke apart and the Walter L. Frost was eventually lost.[3]
Wreck site and diving
editThe remains of the Walter L. Frost lie in relatively shallow water off the coast of South Manitou Island at depths ranging from 10 to 40 feet (3.0 to 12.2 m).[2] The wreck is mostly scattered, but divers can still explore remnants of the hull, the boilers, and the steam engine. The site is popular for its historical significance and the opportunity it provides to experience a piece of Great Lakes maritime history firsthand.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Wreck of the Walter L. Frost". Historical Collections of the Great Lakes. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
- ^ a b c "Manitou Passage Underwater Preserve". Michigan Underwater Preserves. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
- ^ "Michigan Underwater Preserves Sites". Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. Retrieved 2024-06-05.