John T. Johnson
Photograph-guided working towing form, before 1904
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.
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 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
- Wooden schooner barge built by John Squires at Huron,Ohio in 1873. NOAA vessel record
- NOAA dimensions 171×31 ft and a surviving centerboard-trunk pocket. NOAA vessel record
Inferred
- Underwater hull lines and draft
- Exact colors, fittings, hatch layout and rigging routes
Configuration caveat. The historical photograph guides two unequal masts, a low aft cabin and a large deck load of lumber. Wreck evidence supports a centerboard trunk. Exact load quantity, covered deck arrangement, hull lines and paint are inferred. No powered propulsion is added.
Two numbers that are not the same thing. The waterline toggle sits at 2.95 m above the keel, a display assumption, not a measured draft. The wreck lies in about 5 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
Photograph-guided working towing form, before 1904. The historical photograph guides two unequal masts, a low aft cabin and a large deck load of lumber. Wreck evidence supports a centerboard trunk. Exact load quantity, covered deck arrangement, hull lines and paint are inferred. No powered propulsion is added.
Documented evidence
Wooden schooner barge built by John Squires at Huron,Ohio in 1873. NOAA vessel record
NOAA dimensions 171×31 ft and a surviving centerboard-trunk pocket. NOAA vessel record
Reasonable interpretation
Underwater hull lines and draft
Exact colors, fittings, hatch layout and rigging routes
Visual evidence and comparisons. The inspected NOAA-hosted historical photograph shows a high foremast, shorter aft mast, large lumber load, furled gaff sail gear, a low aft cabin and a full wooden hull. These are ship-specific observations guiding the reconstruction.
Reasonable interpretations and limits. The hull is newly authored to the catalogue footprint, without a recovered original lines plan. Two unequal mast heights follow the photograph’s broad relationship; exact heights, mast rake, cabin width, cargo-stack dimensions, lashings and colors are inferred. A simplified top of the centerboard trunk is included; no moving board or complete below-deck mechanism is claimed. Hiding the cargo reveals a comparison-based deck, not a recovered unseen arrangement. No sail propulsion state, steam machinery or towing partner is added.
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. NOAA records a 171 × 31 ft wooden schooner barge, built in 1873 by John Squires at Huron, Ohio. It was wrecked with B.W. Blanchard’s tow in 1904. A centerboard-trunk pocket survives in the lower structure. NOAA vessel record.
Selected geometry references. Hull length 171 ft; beam 31 ft. Hold depth unknown (null). Model deck Y=4.1 m and waterline Y=2.95 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.
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
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).