Maid of the Mist
Comparative sailing form, 1863–1878
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 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
- Wooden two-masted schooner built at St.Clair in 1863. NOAA vessel record
- NOAA catalogue dimensions 90×21 ft. NOAA vessel record
Inferred
- Underwater hull lines and draft
- Exact colors, fittings, hatch layout and rigging routes
- Absolute spar heights and sail shapes
Configuration caveat. NOAA establishes two masts, wooden construction and scale. Hull lines, gaff rig, cabin and hatches use contemporary Great Lakes schooner comparisons; no complete portrait was recovered.
Two numbers that are not the same thing. The waterline toggle sits at 1.90 m above the keel, a display assumption, not a measured draft. The wreck lies in about 7 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
Comparative sailing form, 1863–1878. NOAA establishes two masts, wooden construction and scale. Hull lines, gaff rig, cabin and hatches use contemporary Great Lakes schooner comparisons; no complete portrait was recovered.
Documented evidence
Wooden two-masted schooner built at St.Clair in 1863. NOAA vessel record
NOAA catalogue dimensions 90×21 ft. NOAA vessel record
Reasonable interpretation
Underwater hull lines and draft
Exact colors, fittings, hatch layout and rigging routes
Absolute spar heights and sail shapes
Visual evidence and comparisons. The documented size, construction and rig class support a small Great Lakes cargo schooner. Defiance provides an earlier regional two-mast cargo-schooner comparison; the previously inspected James H. Hall image provides a closely sized later example. Neither is treated as a picture of Maid of the Mist.
Visible qualification. NOAA establishes two masts, wooden construction and scale. Hull lines, gaff rig, cabin and hatches use contemporary Great Lakes schooner comparisons; no complete portrait was recovered.
Sources and use.
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 evidence and comparisons below support a credible overall likeness. This is not an exact or authenticated as-built replica.
Documented baseline and source differences. NOAA records a wooden two-masted schooner, 90 × 21 ft, built at St. Clair in 1863 and stranded in 1878. Broken sides and a buried bow survive. No complete original portrait or lines plan was recovered.
Reasonable interpretations and unresolved details. Two gaff sails and two headsails are a restrained display selection, not a documented sail inventory. Mast heights, hatch locations, a modest aft cabin, yawl, deck fittings, paint and underwater hull shape are inferred. No cedar deck load is asserted for its loss: the narrative says it was waiting for that cargo. This is a sailing career interpretation, not a reconstruction of the storm.
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).