Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2012, All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= USGenNet Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== VESSEL NAME: Norway OTHER NAMES(s): - OFFICIAL NO: 18105 DATE OF LOSS: November 19, 1870 CAUSE OF LOSS: Storm, driven ashore LOCATION: Lake Michigan, Muskegon RIG TYPE: Schooner, 2 mast HULL TYPE: Wooden BUILDER: James M. Jones, Milwaukee - 1854 OWNER(S): Capt. Goranson/Gorvanson et. al. MASTER: Capt. Goranson/Gorvanson TONNAGE: 230 t. DIMENSIONS: 110 x 27 x 10 CASUALTIES: not stated TALE OF CAPTAIN ------- Witherall Relates Story of the Wreck of the Norway For- ty Years Ago ------------ ON SITE OF LIFESAVING STATION -------------- Navigation a Difficult Matter in Those Days - Channel Crook- ed and Changing With the Force of Wind and the Waves. ----------- In driving spiles for the foundation of the new life-saving station at the Lake Michigan channel Bennett & Schnorbach have encountered some exceedingly difficult problems, not the least of which is getting a firm foundation for the spiles. Few Mus- kegon people are aware of the fact that the site of the new life saving station is located over the ruins of a schooner which went ashore on the banks of Lake Michigan nearly 40 years ago. The schooner was the Norway and it is the planking and bottom boards of it that are causing the difficulty to drive spiles. When the vessel bottom was encountered many feet down be- low the sand ***** charges of dynam- ite had to be placed in the ground and the explosive discharged to force holes large enough for the spiles. And it is only after repeated charges have been discharged that the planks of the Norway, now buried beneath the shore lake sands for 40 years, will give away. Wind and weather long ago covered the wreck, but the sands have acted as a good preservative and planks be- ing of extra quality hemlock are as good as when fitted in the shipyard and would stand for a long time without rotting. The wreck of the Norway recalls many interesting bits of history which were enacted in the days of long ago and which may be interest- ing to the citizens of Muskegon. Capt. John Witherall of 192 Spring street, who sailed the great lakes scores of years ago and whose days on the water have long passed, told a representative of the Morning News some decidedly interesting facts about the early history of the Lake Michi- gan channel. In speaking of the grounding of the Norway he said: "The boat was a two-masted schooner and arrived here light from Chicago and was to have tied up at the old Nelson sawmill dock, after- wards the Campbell & Baptiste mill. In those days the piers were not as they are now and only slab docks ran out into the water from the zig- zag channel. "The beach line, too, was many hundred feet inshore 40 years ago and the action of the waves, weather and the piling up of the sand has extend- ede the beach about 2,000 feet from where it was when the Norway went ashore. It was on a dark and stormy night and the weather was such as on the night the ill-fated Alpena left Muskegon on her trip to Chicago. "Captain Goranson of the Norway had been running into this port tak- ing in and out cargoes until he thought he knew the harbor like a book. "Well, on that night the weather was kicking up some and Capt. Goranson himself was at the helm but nevertheless he missed the nar- row entrance between the two slab piers and ran his schooner dead up on the beach, grounding her high and dry. The nose of the boat turned around in the terrific gale which was blowing and she shored broadside. If all the sand could be dug off the ves- sel's hull the boat, or what remains of her would be found to this day ex- actly in that position, lying parallel with the shore line. "Well, the Norway broke both spars when she grounded but her sails and stearing gear were intact. Aside from Capt. Gorvanson there were two oth- er joint owners of the boat who sailed with her as first and second mates. The insurance companies offered to pay the salvage and made an offer but the three owners could not agree on the amount that each would re- ceive and the matter drifted along from year to year without a settle- ment, with the sands covering the schooner more each year and the beach line reaching out farther from the boat. Nothing was ever heard from the three owners and the boat remains in the sand today and is di- rectly across from where the lifesav- ing station is located. Wrecks on the Lake Michigan shore were common in those days and one summer as many as six went aground on the south side of the slab piers. Nobody gave them a thought only to strip them of anyting worth any value. The Flying Cloud of Ra- cine was another boat similar to the Norway. "She grounded the summer before the Norway and further up on the shore or about 20 rods southwest of the present shore light house. Noth- ing was done with the wreck and for three years I cooked in the galley of the Flying Cloud. She too now lies many feet under the sand, a victim of wind and waves. "Muskegon people will be surpris- ed for the most part if they knew the early history of the Lake Michigan shore and slab piers. Now the beach runs nearly north and south from the dancing pavillion to the piers. Forty years ago the beach curved and followed a line only a few feet out from the big sand hills. The sidewalk to the channel from the park marks fairly well the old beach shore line as it was when I first com- menced sailing. Sawmill edgings, drifted sand, logs and refuse have filled in the lake. The channel then was a shifting zig zag course, and at one time filled on one side. The next year it might take and entirely differ- ent course. Vessels had to be mighty careful about entering and the nar- rowness of the channel probably caused many wrecks. "The slab pier that I have men- tioned was built by the lumber com- panies and was only a pile of mill slabs on the north and south sides of the harbor to mark a course and if possible prevent sand from drifting into the channel. The old slab piers extended out to about the present beach shore line." Muskegon people can probably rec- ollect changes in the shore line with- in the last 20 years. Since Lake Michigan park was first converted into a summer resort and buildings erected there has been a slight change in the beach line. Possibly one hundred feet have been added to the former shore line. ======================================================================== Sources: Unknown newspaper - Muskegon, MI NOTE: Witherall should be WITHERELL Different spellings of Goranson/Gorvanson Great Lakes Maritime Database, University of Michigan