Elma
Original sailing form, c.1873
An interpretive 3D reconstruction of the vessel afloat, in the form named above and from before its loss in Munising Bay. It is informed by the historical record set out under History below, where the documented evidence and the interpretation are kept apart; rigging, colours and fittings are partly inferred. It is not a survey of the wreck.
This ship ran aground along this shore. Nobody knows the exact spot, so the marker shows the general area.
Starboard bow · complete vessel · drag to rotate, scroll or pinch to zoom, right-drag to pan. Hiding the sails shows the deck; it does not recreate the wreck.
What the model represents
From the model specification. Two lists, kept apart on purpose.
Documented
- Built by D.Lester at Marine City in 1873 as a three-masted schooner. Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, E, ELMA entry
- Compilation dimensions 165×30×11 ft; another compilation gives 10 ft depth. Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, E, ELMA entry
Inferred
- Underwater hull lines and draft
- Exact colors, fittings, hatch layout and rigging routes
- Absolute spar heights and sail shapes
Configuration caveat. Original three-masted schooner; later reported as a two-masted tow barge at loss
Two numbers that are not the same thing. The waterline toggle sits at 2.70 m above the keel, a display assumption, not a measured draft. The wreck lies in about 43 ft of water; that describes the site, not the ship.
Renders from the model
History, evidence and limits
The research notes behind the reconstruction, reproduced with their citations.
Version 1.1. Metadata and presentation revised September 8, 2026; original evidence review retained.
Selected appearance
Original sailing form, c.1873. Original three-masted schooner; later reported as a two-masted tow barge at loss
Documented evidence
Built by D.Lester at Marine City in 1873 as a three-masted schooner. Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, E, ELMA entry
Compilation dimensions 165×30×11 ft; another compilation gives 10 ft depth. Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, E, ELMA entry
Reasonable interpretation
Underwater hull lines and draft
Exact colors, fittings, hatch layout and rigging routes
Absolute spar heights and sail shapes
The reconstruction depicts the original c.1873 three-masted schooner. It does not depict the reduced tow-barge rig at the time of loss. The historical compilation identifies Marine City builder D. Lester, dimensions 165 x 30 x 11 ft, original three-mast construction, and a two-masted schooner-barge at loss. It reports the September 28, 1895 storm loss near Miners Castle while carrying lumber in tow of P. H. Birckhead, with one life lost. Great Lakes Shipwreck Files.
A 1912 county history lists the schooner Elma among the vessels built in 1873, describing about 400 tons and loss in 1895 with one death. It supplies no lines or rigging plan. St. Clair County history.
The hull baseline is 165 ft (50.292 m) by 30 ft (9.144 m). No verified original photograph, builder’s lines or rig plan was found. Three gaff sails and two headsails represent a plausible sailing configuration, not a recovered exact sail inventory. Hull shape, colors, mast and boom heights, hatches, small aft cabin, boat stowage, anchors and all rigging details are interpreted. No deck load is modeled. The vessel carried lumber at loss, but that does not establish the exact original deck-load arrangement.
The sails node hides canvas while leaving spars and rigging. The illustrative waterline is Y=2.70 m. The canonical wreck marker is approximate and must remain labeled approximate in the map and reconstruction page.
Unresolved uncertainties
No complete original lines plan is claimed. Exact loaded draft, concealed surfaces and fine fittings remain interpreted. The earlier research context below retains the source distinctions used for this reconstruction.
Another regional compilation describes three masts and dimensions 165 x 30 x 10 ft. The one-foot depth difference remains unresolved; this model uses 11 ft as its hold-depth metadata baseline. Munising shipwreck research.
Sources
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, E, ELMA entry
- St. Clair County history, 1912, Marine City shipbuilding list, 1873
- Munising shipwreck research, Elma entry
Illustration conditions
Lake, shoreline, lighting and weather are artistic staging, not evidence of a specific historical voyage. AI artwork is supplemental; the GLB and direct renders establish the delivered geometry.
Sources used for the model
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, E, ELMA entry — source
Original three-mast schooner versus two-mast barge at loss; 165 x 30 x 11 ft dimensions - St. Clair County history, 1912, Marine City shipbuilding list, 1873 — source
Historical listing of schooner Elma built 1873, about 400 tons, lost 1895 - Munising shipwreck research, Elma entry — source
Corroborates length/beam and three-mast description; hold depth differs
Rights and respect
Removing or disturbing wreckage on Great Lakes bottomlands is a felony under Michigan Part 761, 1994 PA 451, at a fair market value of $100 or more. Positions are historical reference only — not navigation and not dive-planning data. Wreck records are published by the Michigan Underwater Preserve Council.
Treat these as graves. Lives were lost on many Great Lakes wrecks and human remains may still be present. Look, photograph, and leave everything exactly as you found it.
Model and renders were newly made for this project (2026). Three.js r160.1 is used under the MIT licence; its notice ships with the vendored files. Wreck position, depth and dates: Michigan Underwater Preserve Council. The model specification (version 1.1, revised 2026-09-08) is published beside the assets (model-spec.json).