John F. Warner
Qualified later towing-barge interpretation, before 1890
An interpretive 3D reconstruction of the vessel afloat, in the form named above and from before its loss in Thunder 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.
Nobody knows the exact spot where this ship went down, so the marker shows the general area.
Starboard bow · complete vessel · drag to rotate, scroll or pinch to zoom, right-drag to pan. Hiding a part shows what sat beneath it; it does not recreate the wreck.
What the model represents
From the model specification. Two lists, kept apart on purpose.
Documented
- The quoted enrollment gives 126.75×26.5×11.19 ft. NOAA historical report, printed page 96
Inferred
- Underwater hull lines and draft
- Exact colors, fittings, hatch layout and rigging routes
Configuration caveat. Mast count is unresolved: NOAA’s current page says three, while the historical compilation and tracker say two. This model selects a two-masted towing form, using contemporary consorts for the arrangement. It is not an authenticated portrait or a resolved refit history.
Two numbers that are not the same thing. The waterline toggle sits at 2.65 m above the keel, a display assumption, not a measured draft. The wreck lies in about 9 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
Qualified later towing-barge interpretation, before 1890. Mast count is unresolved: NOAA’s current page says three, while the historical compilation and tracker say two. This model selects a two-masted towing form, using contemporary consorts for the arrangement. It is not an authenticated portrait or a resolved refit history.
Documented evidence
The quoted enrollment gives 126.75×26.5×11.19 ft. NOAA historical report, printed page 96
Reasonable interpretation
Underwater hull lines and draft
Exact colors, fittings, hatch layout and rigging routes
Selected geometry references. Hull length 126.75 ft; beam 26.5 ft. Hold depth 11.19 ft. Model deck Y=3.8 m and waterline Y=2.65 m are illustrative construction coordinates, not surveyed draft. Wreck water depth is not vessel draft. Existing approximate map coordinates, site attribution and catalogue text were preserved.
Further sources and how they were used.
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.
Evidence assessment: build a qualified interpretation. The selected vessel class, dimensions and the evidence described below support a credible overall likeness. It is not an exact or authenticated as-built replica.
Documented baseline and source differences. The ship was built in 1855 by Quayle and Martin at Cleveland and lost at Alpena in 1890. NOAA’s historical report quotes an enrollment of 126.75 × 26.5 × 11.19 ft; these set the model scale. The current vessel catalogue rounds to 126 × 26 ft. NOAA vessel record.
Visual evidence and comparisons. No securely identified intact portrait was recovered. NOAA’s page says three masts; Great Lakes Shipwreck Files entry 12768 describes two, later barge service and a tow by William B. Cowie. The tracker also says two. That conflict remains unresolved. The model selects a qualified two-masted towing form rather than claiming a documented rig transition.
Reasonable interpretations and limits. The NOAA-hosted John T. Johnson and Harvey Bissell photographs provide explicit comparisons for widely spaced bare masts, furled gaff rig, low aft accommodation and lumber-carrying decks. These are other ships, not visual records of Warner. The model’s lumber stacks, reduced bow spar, cabin and hatches are inferred within that working class and the documented Warner dimensions. No original transatlantic sail plan or loss-day stowage is claimed. Hull shape, paint and fittings remain interpretations. The uncertain mast count is displayed beside the model.
Sources
- NOAA vessel record
- NOAA historical report, printed page 96
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files: Warner 12768
- NOAA John T. Johnson photograph and record
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
- NOAA vessel record — source
Vessel identity, scale, history and surviving evidence - NOAA historical report, printed page 96 — source
Indexed report excerpt quotes enrollment dimensions; full PDF access unsuccessful - Great Lakes Shipwreck Files: Warner 12768 — source
Secondary two-mast and later towing-barge account; conflict retained - NOAA John T. Johnson photograph and record — source
Closely related lumber-consort comparison, not Warner portrait
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).