The Tragic Disappearance of the SS Chicora: A Great Mystery of Lake Michigan

🚢The SS Chicora was a steamship built by Graham and Morton Transportation Company in 1892, primarily used for transporting freight and passengers between Michigan and Chicago.

❄️Designed to operate year-round, the Chicora was built with a reinforced wooden hull and equipped with iron plates for breaking through ice during winter months.

🌊On January 21, 1895, the Chicora encountered a severe storm on Lake Michigan, with freezing temperatures, blinding snow, and gale force winds. The ship ultimately disappeared, never to be seen again.

📝A note in a bottle found months later near Glenn, Michigan, written by the ship's engineer, confirmed the ship's distress and confirmed that the crew had a hard time fighting the storm.

🔎Despite search efforts and the recovery of some wreckage, the fate of the SS Chicora and the exact circumstances of its disappearance remain a mystery.

What was the purpose of the SS Chicora?

—The SS Chicora was primarily used for transporting freight and passengers between Michigan and Chicago, with a focus on carrying produce, grain, and other goods.

How was the SS Chicora designed to withstand winter conditions?

—The Chicora had a reinforced wooden hull and was equipped with iron plates to pound through ice. It was intended to operate year-round, providing both quick and comfortable service in summer and battling fierce winter storms and ice in winter.

What were the conditions like during the storm on January 21, 1895?

—The storm on that day was characterized by freezing temperatures, blinding snow, gale force winds, and waves estimated to be as high as a house. The Chicora fought against these treacherous conditions.

Were there any survivors from the SS Chicora?

—No, unfortunately, all 24 crew members on board the Chicora were lost in the storm. There were no survivors.

What evidence was found to determine the fate of the SS Chicora?

—Months after the disappearance, various pieces of wreckage from the Chicora, including spars, wood fragments, and cabin trimmings, were found washed ashore along the Michigan coast. However, the exact details and location of the ship's sinking remain unknown.

00:00The SS Chicora, a steamship built in 1892, disappeared on January 21, 1895, while sailing on Lake Michigan.

09:32The ship was caught in a severe storm with freezing temperatures, blinding snow, and gale force winds.

10:33A note in a bottle found later confirmed the ship's distress and the difficulties the crew faced.

11:55Wreckage from the ship continued to wash ashore for several months, but the exact fate of the SS Chicora remains a mystery.