The ''Norman'' was a bulk freighter; its wreck in

Lake Huron Lake Huron ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrology, Hydrologically, it comprises the easterly portion of Lake Michigan–Huron, having the same surface elevation as Lake Michigan, to which it is connected by the , Strait ...

(also designated 20UH018) was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 2016.

Description

The ''Norman'' had an overall length of 296.5 feet, a 40.4 foot beam, 21 foot hold depth, and a gross tonnage of 2,304 tons. It had a raised forecastle and pilothouse, an aft cabin that housed the propulsion machinery, and an open deck in between that held eight hatches. The ''Norman'' was powered by a triple expansion steam engine built by Globe Iron Works that produced 1200 horsepower, along with two 14 foot by 12½ foot Scotch boilers.

History

The ''Norman'' was built in 1890 by the Globe Iron Works in

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

. She was one of the first propeller-driven steel lakers that hauled iron and coal on the

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...

. She was built for the Chapin Iron Mining Company, and ran between the company's docks in

Escanaba, Michigan Escanaba ( ), commonly shortened to Esky, is a port city in Delta County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on Little Bay de Noc in the state's Upper Peninsula. The population was 12,616 at the 2010 census, making it the third-largest city i ...

and

. On May 30, 1895, the ''Norman'' was loaded with coal and headed to Escanaba. Dense fog reduced visibility, and the Canadian steamer ''Jack'' collided with the ''Norman'', with the ''Jack'' hitting the ''Norman'' amidships and nearly slicing her in two. The ''Norman'' quickly sank, taking three crewmen with her. The remainder of the crew were picked up by the ''Jack'' and the nearby steam barge ''Sicken''. Salvage efforts in 1896 failed.

The wreck

The wreck was not located until 1986. She lies in of water, and much of the below deck area is accessible to divers. It sits angled on the lake bottom with its starboard side pointing up towards the surface. There is large opening from the collision amidships. A davit, capstan, deck cleats, and the two bow anchors are all extant on the bow section. The foremast and mainmast are in place, rising roughly 60 feet. The aft section is separated from the remainder of the ship. The steam engine and the boilers are exposed. The wreck sits near the wreck of the wooden freighter ''Florida''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Norman Shipwrecks on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan Great Lakes freighters Maritime incidents in 1895 Shipwrecks of Lake Huron 1890 ships National Register of Historic Places in Presque Isle County, Michigan Ships built in Cleveland