National Register of Historic Places

EMPEROR

Isle Royale National Park, Keweenaw County, Michigan

Listed

June 13, 1984

Type

Site

Period

Listed

Ref No.

84001748

About this property

SS Emperor was a Canadian lake freighter in service between 1911 and 1947. She was built between 1910 and April 1911 by the Collingwood Shipbuilding Company in Collingwood, Ontario, for Inland Lines, Ltd., of Midland, Ontario. She entered service on May 3, 1911. Emperor was sold to Canada Steamship Lines of Montreal, Quebec. Under the ownership of Canada Steamship Lines, she carried a wide variety of cargoes, but most frequently iron ore to Point Edward, Ontario, where it would be transported to Hamilton, Ontario, by train. After the opening of the fourth Welland Canal, Emperor carried the ore directly to Hamilton. She was involved in several accidents throughout her career. After discharging a cargo of coal in Fort William, Ontario, on June 3, 1947, Emperor headed to Port Arthur, Ontario, where she loaded 10,264 long tons (11,496 short tons; 10,429 t) of iron ore bound for Ashtabula, Ohio. She left Port Arthur at 10:55 p.m. (EST). The weather was clear, and visibility was good. At midnight, Captain Eldon Walkinshaw handed over watch duties to first mate James A. Morrey. Emperor ran hard aground on Canoe Rocks, on the northeast point of Isle Royale shortly before 4:15 a.m. on June 4. She sank in between 20 and 35 minutes. Twelve of her crew were killed, while the 21 survivors were picked up by the United States Coast Guard Cutter Kimball. Emperor's wreck is the most recent, and second largest shipwreck of Isle Royale, surpassed only by the freighter Chester A. Congdon, which also wrecked on Canoe Rocks. The wreck rests in 25 to 175 feet (7.6 to 53.3 m). Her bow lies partially broken up in shallow water, while her stern is intact and in deeper water. The wreck was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, and has become a popular site for recreational divers.

Location

Isle Royale National Park, Keweenaw County, Michigan

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Overview

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The Land

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Geology

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LiDAR Terrain

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Conflict & War

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The Civil War

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The Soldiers

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Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

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The Community

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Rivers & Rail

The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.

Notable People

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Finds & Access

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Literature

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Questions about this property

When was EMPEROR listed on the National Register?

EMPEROR was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 13, 1984.

What type of historic resource is EMPEROR?

EMPEROR is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for EMPEROR?

The period of significance for EMPEROR is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near EMPEROR?

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