The F.J. King (Schooner) Shipwreck Listed in the National Register of Historic Places

Our boat The Shoreline worked with the Wisconsin Underwater Marine Association to locate the FJ King.

News from the Wisconsin Historical Society: On September 15, 1886, F.J. King was sailing with a cargo of iron ore collected at Escanaba, Michigan, bound for Chicago. In a heavy wind, it sprang a leak that could not be controlled. The captain turned the ship around, but it became unmanageable, rolling heavily in the seas. After the crew signaled for assistance, they fled to the yawl with their luggage and were picked up by the passing schooner La Petite. The F.J. King went down by its bow with the masts breaking the surface of the water. Although salvage attempts were made to recover the ship, it was ultimately abandoned.

The F.J. King shipwreck site was documented by Wisconsin Historical Society maritime archaeologists and volunteers in August and October 2025. The site has produced a wealth of archaeological knowledge and has the potential to yield additional important archaeological data in future years.

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