Lizzie A. Law
Photographed two-mast towbarge, 1907
An interpretive 3D reconstruction of the vessel afloat, in the form named above and from before its loss in Keweenaw 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
- Built at Port Huron in 1875, hull dimensions 196.1×33.9×13.9 ft. Brendon Baillod — Lizzie A. Law history and dated 1907 photograph
- The original three-mast topsail schooner lost its middle mast and bowsprit around 1900; the 1907 photograph shows two masts. Brendon Baillod — Lizzie A. Law history and dated 1907 photograph
Inferred
- Underwater hull lines and draft
- Exact colors, fittings, hatch layout and rigging routes
Configuration caveat. The dated 1907 photograph guides the two retained masts, long cargo deck and low stern cabin. Her original middle mast and bowsprit had been removed around 1900. This is the later towbarge, not her earlier three-mast topsail rig. Deck load, hidden hull lines and fittings remain 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 10 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
Photographed two-mast towbarge, 1907. The dated 1907 photograph guides the two retained masts, long cargo deck and low stern cabin. Her original middle mast and bowsprit had been removed around 1900. This is the later towbarge, not her earlier three-mast topsail rig. Deck load, hidden hull lines and fittings remain interpreted.
Documented evidence
Built at Port Huron in 1875, hull dimensions 196.1×33.9×13.9 ft. Brendon Baillod — Lizzie A. Law history and dated 1907 photograph
The original three-mast topsail schooner lost its middle mast and bowsprit around 1900; the 1907 photograph shows two masts. Brendon Baillod — Lizzie A. Law history and dated 1907 photograph
Reasonable interpretation
Underwater hull lines and draft
Exact colors, fittings, hatch layout and rigging routes
The dated 1907 photograph is the basis for the later two-mast towbarge. Baillod records construction in 1875 at Port Huron and hull dimensions of 196.1 × 33.9 × 13.9 ft. His history describes an original three-mast topsail schooner, with the middle mast and bowsprit removed around 1900. The 1907 image supports two widely spaced retained masts, a long low cargo deck, a low stern cabin and lumber load. The recorded 1908 loss follows this later service. The earlier fully rigged overall length must not be substituted for the hull length.
The two retained spars carry conservative stowed gear without deployed canvas. Exact mast heights, remaining boom and gaff arrangement, deck fittings, boat, hatch positions and hidden cabin details are inferred. Colors and underwater hull sections are interpretive. The forward thin line is tow gear, not a restored bowsprit. Cargo can be hidden to inspect the simplified deck.
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 earlier centerboard arrangement is not sufficiently resolved to assert external leeboards in this later model. The model should never be presented as the original three-mast rig. The history describes conflicting reports of the wreck's resting place around Rabbit Bay and Traverse Island; geometry completion does not settle that location question.
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
- Brendon Baillod — Lizzie A. Law history and dated 1907 photograph — source
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 1.2, revised 2026-09-10) is published beside the assets (model-spec.json).