JD Marshall Underwater Nature Preserve
On June 11, 1911, the ship JD Marshall sank in stormy seas just offshore of Dunes State Park. Four sailors died in the tragedy. The sunken ship still lies there, just offshore, its historic artifacts preserved by statute as the JD Marshall Underwater Nature Preserve.
JD Marshall
The JD Marshall was built in 1891 in South Haven, Michigan. The ship had a beam of thirty-three feet and a draft of twelve feet. The ship had originally hauled lumber and industrial goods from port to port in the Great Lakes. The ship had been converted to a barge to suck sand from the lake bed and haul it to port to use for construction. Historians believe the boat had 1000 tons of sand on board when it capsized.
The Wreck
The JD Marshall had been dispatched to salvage the wreck of the Muskegon, which had been in the dock at Michigan City. The Muskegon had caught fire and sank on June 10, 1911. The ten man crew of the JD Marshall had completed the salvage job and had anchored just offshore to patch a leak that had occurred. Three men dove into the water to repair the leak. An unexpected squall created twenty-foot waves, which overturned the loaded ship. The three divers drowned. Captain Leroy Rand escaped and swam to shore. He commandeered a boat to use as a lifeboat to save the rest of the crew. He managed to save five crew members. Rescuers found the first mate, Martin Donohue, dead.
JD Marshall Underwater Nature Preserve
The 100-acre nature preserve is Indiana's first underwater nature preserve. Intended to promote understanding about the JD Marshall and other Indiana shipwrecks, the Preserve offers archeological protections to the site. DNR staff mark off the boundaries with buoys seasonally at the four corners, with additional markers along the north boundary. Boats are forbidden to drop anchor within the boundary to prevent anchors snagging and destroying underwater artifacts. DNR staff conducts periodic interpretation programs about the site throughout the year. Visitors can see a display of a reconstructed pilothouse as well as artifacts from the boat at the Nature Center in the park. For more information, contact Dunes State Park.
Link to Site
https://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/files/sp-JDM_FAQ.PDF
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| A Visit to Indiana Dunes State Park |
JD Marshall
The JD Marshall was built in 1891 in South Haven, Michigan. The ship had a beam of thirty-three feet and a draft of twelve feet. The ship had originally hauled lumber and industrial goods from port to port in the Great Lakes. The ship had been converted to a barge to suck sand from the lake bed and haul it to port to use for construction. Historians believe the boat had 1000 tons of sand on board when it capsized.
The Wreck
The JD Marshall had been dispatched to salvage the wreck of the Muskegon, which had been in the dock at Michigan City. The Muskegon had caught fire and sank on June 10, 1911. The ten man crew of the JD Marshall had completed the salvage job and had anchored just offshore to patch a leak that had occurred. Three men dove into the water to repair the leak. An unexpected squall created twenty-foot waves, which overturned the loaded ship. The three divers drowned. Captain Leroy Rand escaped and swam to shore. He commandeered a boat to use as a lifeboat to save the rest of the crew. He managed to save five crew members. Rescuers found the first mate, Martin Donohue, dead.
JD Marshall Underwater Nature Preserve
The 100-acre nature preserve is Indiana's first underwater nature preserve. Intended to promote understanding about the JD Marshall and other Indiana shipwrecks, the Preserve offers archeological protections to the site. DNR staff mark off the boundaries with buoys seasonally at the four corners, with additional markers along the north boundary. Boats are forbidden to drop anchor within the boundary to prevent anchors snagging and destroying underwater artifacts. DNR staff conducts periodic interpretation programs about the site throughout the year. Visitors can see a display of a reconstructed pilothouse as well as artifacts from the boat at the Nature Center in the park. For more information, contact Dunes State Park.
Link to Site
https://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/files/sp-JDM_FAQ.PDF
