Brief History of Vienna

History: The Vienna (Official Number 25875) was built in 1873 in Cleveland, Ohio by Quayle and Martin.  She was 191 ft long, 34 ft in beam, and 14 ft deep and was a double deck wooden bulk freighter.  At the time of her sinking the Vienna was transporting the iron ore from Marquette, Michigan with the schooner barge Mattie C. Bell in tow.  On a clear day September 17, 1892 as the Vienna prepared to pass the freighter Nipigon, that was towing barges Melbourne and Delaware, both vessels signaled a port to port passing.  As the ships neared each other the Nipigon turned and rammed the Vienna on her port side about four miles below Whitefish Point.   Both vessels cast off their tows and Captain J. W. Nicholson headed the Vienna for shore to  try to beach her.  Shortly thereafter the Nipigon took the Vienna in tow and towed her for about an hour before losing the battle and the Vienna settled in its current location.  No lives were lost in the incident. 

The Site: Because of its close proximity to the Whitefish Point harbor, reasonable depth, and its relative intactness, the Vienna is probably the most popular wreck in Whitefish Bay.  The Vienna sits upright in 150' of water and usually has one or two moorings on it.  It has an impressive propeller, and rudder.  The upper cabins are gone but the engine and boiler are intact as are the below deck cabins in the stern.  A lifeboat sits on the deck which was removed for display in the museum then replaced.

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