George
Original c.1873 sailing form, as George Murray
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
- George Murray was launched by Greenleaf S.Rand at Manitowoc on June 21, 1873. Labadie, NPS Submerged Cultural Resources Study: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (1989)
- Enrollment dimensions 202.8×34×13.8 ft, US85305; a three-masted schooner. Labadie, NPS Submerged Cultural Resources Study: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (1989)
Inferred
- Underwater hull lines and draft
- Exact colors, fittings, hatch layout and rigging routes
- Absolute spar heights and sail shapes
Configuration caveat. Built as George Murray, renamed George in 1883. Original three-masted sailing form; exact sail inventory, deck layout and colors are interpreted.
Two numbers that are not the same thing. The waterline toggle sits at 3.35 m above the keel, a display assumption, not a measured draft. The wreck lies in about 15 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 c.1873 sailing form, as George Murray. Built as George Murray, renamed George in 1883. Original three-masted sailing form; exact sail inventory, deck layout and colors are interpreted.
Documented evidence
George Murray was launched by Greenleaf S.Rand at Manitowoc on June 21, 1873. Labadie, NPS Submerged Cultural Resources Study: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (1989)
Enrollment dimensions 202.8×34×13.8 ft, US85305; a three-masted schooner. Labadie, NPS Submerged Cultural Resources Study: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (1989)
Reasonable interpretation
Underwater hull lines and draft
Exact colors, fittings, hatch layout and rigging routes
Absolute spar heights and sail shapes
The model depicts the original sailing form of George Murray, later renamed George in 1883. Labadie records construction at Manitowoc by Greenleaf S. Rand, launch June 21, 1873, and Milwaukee enrollment July 17, 1873. Original dimensions are 202.8 x 34.0 x 13.8 ft, official number 85305. The study identifies a three-masted schooner. The loss account reports destruction of three gaff sails in the October 1893 storm. NPS study, printed pp.70–73.
The reconstructed hull measures 61.81344 m by 10.3632 m. The three gaff sails are supported as a rig type; the two headsails, spar heights, sail dimensions and rigging routes are a plausible chosen inventory, not a recovered sail plan. The original working name was George Murray; the viewer uses the wreck catalogue name George and states the earlier identity.
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.
The survey measured a 28 ft 9 in centerboard trunk, represented by an interpreted low cover on deck. That surviving structural measurement does not establish the intact deck arrangement. Exact hull lines, draft, stern form, hatch stations, boat stowage, cabin details and colors are inferred. No verified original vessel photograph or builder’s plan was recovered in this research. The worksheet’s 203 ft length is a rounding difference from the enrollment baseline and is preserved. The sails group controls canvas only. The canonical wreck location remains approximate.
Sources
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
- Labadie, NPS Submerged Cultural Resources Study: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (1989) — source
Printed pp.70–73: original enrollment, rig, loss and wreck survey
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).