FAQs

The LaSalle Shipwreck

• Can I paddle from shore to the LaSalle Shipwreck?

  Yes, it is a very comfortable paddle out to the LaSalle.  It is marked during the months of July through September.  The buoys are visible from shore.

• Is the shipwreck visible from shore?

  Yes, the LaSalle is visible from shore.

• What happened to the LaSalle on its final voyage?

  On October 22, 1875, during its second season, the LaSalle departed Chicago with 22,000 bushels of wheat bound for Buffalo. On the night of October 25, while sailing into a gale near Two Rivers Point (now Rawley Point), it lost its rudder. Before Captain Parker could anchor the vessel, it struck bottom and drifted ashore, becoming embedded in hazardous quicksands. The ship filled with water, forcing the crew to spend the night in the rigging before being rescued by local fishermen the next morning. Despite efforts by tugboats Leviathan and J.J. Hagerman, the LaSalle could not be freed, was deemed badly damaged, and was declared a total loss. It was subsequently stripped of its anchors, spars, and some rigging, and then abandoned.

• What is the best place to park and walk to the launch point on the beach to visit the LaSalle shipwreck?

  The best place to park for access to the LaSalle shipwreck on the beach in Two Rivers is Point Beach State Forest or the Neshotah Park & Beach, as both offer parking and convenient access to Lake Michigan's shore where the shipwreck is located. You can park in the designated areas within Point Beach State Forest, or at Neshotah Park, and then walk or bike to the beach to view the shipwreck.

  Parking and Access

  Point Beach State Forest: This is a state forest near Two Rivers with parking available. From the forest, you can access the Rawley Point Trail which leads to the beach, providing a great way to walk to the shipwreck.

  Neshotah Park & Beach: This park is located in Two Rivers and also offers parking. From the park, you can easily access the beach and walk to the shipwreck location.

• What is the current condition of the LaSalle shipwreck and what can visitors see?

  Today, the LaSalle shipwreck lies in twelve feet of water, offering easy access for kayakers, boaters, snorkelers, and beginning divers. Much of the vessel's original rigging, which was surprisingly not salvaged, was found balled up inside the hull, including wire rigging that supported the masts, deadeyes, and circular hearts. The distinctive iron deck knees, a key feature for its identification by archaeologists, are visible along the hull sides. The wreck's high level of hull integrity makes it a valuable site for historical and archaeological exploration.

• What is the latitude and longitude of the LaSalle Shipwreck?

  The LaSalle shipwreck is located in Lake Michigan near Two Rivers, Wisconsin, at approximately 44° 11.524' N, 87° 30.591' W.

• What is the National Register of Historic Places and how does it relate to the LaSalle?

  The National Register of Historic Places is the official national list of historic properties in America, maintained by the National Park Service. It includes sites, buildings, structures, objects, and districts deemed worthy of preservation for their significance in history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture. In 2017, the Wisconsin Historical Society announced the listing of the LaSalle Shipwreck on the National Register, recognizing its historical and archaeological importance. This designation also provides legal protection for the shipwreck, prohibiting divers from removing artifacts or altering its structure.

• What is the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary and how does it protect the LaSalle?

  The Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary, designated in 2021, is one of 18 underwater parks within the National Marine Sanctuary System. Co-managed by NOAA and the state of Wisconsin, it safeguards maritime heritage in Lake Michigan, covering 962 square miles and encompassing 36 known shipwreck sites, including the LaSalle. The sanctuary expands on existing state management efforts, bringing new opportunities for research, resource protection, education, and promoting heritage tourism. Its designation provides a national stage for protecting significant historic sites like the LaSalle, which played a central role in building the nation between the 1830s and 1930s.

• What opportunities remain for future research at the LaSalle site?

  Despite its current exposure, significant portions of the LaSalle's stern and portside bow sections are likely still concealed beneath layers of silt and organic material, offering numerous opportunities for future archaeological research. A more detailed archaeological survey of construction features specific to canallers, such as the stem and stern construction, the turn of the bilge, and hull lines, could significantly enhance our limited understanding of these unique vessels. The high level of hull integrity means the LaSalle site has immense potential to yield further insights into 19th-century maritime commerce and the evolution of canaller construction, including nuances of differing hull lines, construction techniques, and adaptations for bulk cargo needs.

• What was the LaSalle and what was its purpose?

  The LaSalle was a three-masted schooner launched on April 11, 1874, from the Parsons & Humble shipyard in Tonawanda, New York. It was purpose-built as a "canaller" for transit through the Welland Canal locks, enabling trade on Lake Ontario and connecting the Midwest economically and culturally with eastern markets. Designed for strength, size, and speed, it featured angle-iron deck knees for greater capacity, estimated at over 23,000 bushels of grain. Its boxy construction and dimensions (139 feet long, 26-foot beam, nearly 11-foot depth of hold) allowed it to fit precisely within the canal's lock chambers.

• When and how was the LaSalle shipwreck rediscovered?

  The wreckage of the LaSalle was rediscovered in the spring of 2015 by powered-parachute pilot Suzze Johnson. Its exposure was due to a period of significant sand movement on Rawley Point. Historic low lake levels on Lake Michigan in 2013, followed by a rebound in subsequent years, caused sand displacement that uncovered four new shipwrecks in the vicinity, with the LaSalle being one of them. The full 139-foot hull was found lacking quagga mussel colonization, and features like the weather deck, Sampson post, and windlass knees indicated a loss of more than nine feet of sand cover.

• Why is the LaSalle shipwreck significant to American history and archaeology?

  The LaSalle shipwreck is a rare and vital example of a "canaller" vessel, crucial for the Midwest's economy and transportation infrastructure before extensive road and rail networks existed. It played a significant role in connecting the burgeoning Grain Belt with eastern markets. Its listing in the National Register of Historic Places in 2017 recognizes its importance in national, state, and local history. Archaeologically, the LaSalle offers unique insights into 19th-century wooden vessel construction, particularly for canallers, about which limited documentation and comparative studies exist. Its well-preserved hull has already significantly contributed to understanding Great Lakes canaller construction and holds vast potential for future research into maritime commerce and vessel evolution.