Ship Graveyards: What Complete Shipwreck Removal Reveals About 19th Century Barge, Dredge and Tug Boat Construction

Summary

Great Lakes barge and dredge vessels were the workhorses that launched the 20th century’s economy in the region. However, these ships were historically and archaeologically marginalized. They were not the vessels whose travels were recorded in historic newspapers, or whose architectural plans were archived. Very little information about 19th century barge and dredge ship construction had been recorded for Great Lakes vessels. Eleven shipwrecks, including barges, dredges, tugs, and a schooner barge, were removed from Lake Michigan-accessible rivers in Wisconsin in 2013 and 2014. These removals provided a rare opportunity to learn about 19th century vessel construction.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2015   •
• In Black Water And In Bright Sunshine: Three Decades of Riverine Archaeology In Inland Waterways

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 276