Marquette
Original c.1869 sailing form
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
- Wooden schooner US90142, built at Detroit by J.M.Jones in 1869. Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, M: Marquette, official 90142
- Reported dimensions 139×26×11 ft; distinct from the later steamship. Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, M: Marquette, official 90142
Inferred
- Underwater hull lines and draft
- Exact colors, fittings, hatch layout and rigging routes
- Absolute spar heights and sail shapes
Configuration caveat. The 1869 schooner, official number 90142; not the later steamer of the same name. Original rig interpretation; details of the 1871 rebuild are unresolved. Canonical location text conflicts with the west Grand Island position and requires review.
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 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
Original c.1869 sailing form. The 1869 schooner, official number 90142; not the later steamer of the same name. Original rig interpretation; details of the 1871 rebuild are unresolved. Canonical location text conflicts with the west Grand Island position and requires review.
Documented evidence
Wooden schooner US90142, built at Detroit by J.M.Jones in 1869. Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, M: Marquette, official 90142
Reported dimensions 139×26×11 ft; distinct from the later steamship. Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, M: Marquette, official 90142
Reasonable interpretation
Underwater hull lines and draft
Exact colors, fittings, hatch layout and rigging routes
Absolute spar heights and sail shapes
This model concerns the wooden sailing schooner Marquette, official number 90142, built in 1869 at Detroit by J. M. Jones, reported dimensions 139 x 26 x 11 ft. It is distinct from the later steamship of the same name. The historical compilation reports collision and sinking in 1870, a Bay City rebuild in 1871, and loss in the west channel at Grand Island on November 14, 1872 with iron ore. Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Marquette entry.
An archive record associated with Marquette was located, but its image could not be inspected and was not used as visual evidence. No verified original photograph, builder’s lines or rig plan was available to this reconstruction. Hull form, colors, draft, mast heights, sail shapes, hatch layout, cabin, boat and rigging are inferred. There is no steam engine or propeller. The sails node hides canvas and retains standing and running rigging.
The canonical slug is marquette-superior. The catalogue’s location_text says Whitefish Point, while the approximate coordinates and workbook describe west Grand Island. This inconsistency is flagged for project review without editing canonical data or moving the marker. Keep location confidence approximate and avoid publishing the contradictory location text as if verified.
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 model uses the project’s three-masted schooner classification and represents the original c.1869 sailing form. Hull length is 42.3672 m and beam is 7.9248 m. Three gaff sails and two headsails are a chosen plausible rig, not an authenticated complete sail inventory. Details of the 1871 rebuild have not been established; this is not a claimed reconstruction of every change present at loss.
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
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, M: Marquette, official 90142 — source
1869 schooner dimensions, builder, rebuild and loss; not later same-name steamer
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).