Loss of the "Jane Miller"
Text from the plaque
The "Jane Miller", a wooden-hulled freight and passenger vessel, was built in 1879 at Little Current. A screw-propelled, 190 tonne ship 24 m in length, she was owned by her skipper, Andrew Port of Wiarton. On November 25, 1881, at Owen Sound and Meaford, she loaded a heavy deck cargo destined for Michael Bay, Manitoulin Island. Not obtaining enough wood at Big Bay dock (North Keppel) to reach his destination, Captain Port attempted to reach Spencer's Landing, immediately north of here, but the ship was capsized by gale-force winds almost within sight of it. Some 30 aboard, including her crew of nine, were lost in this, one of Georgian Bay's worst marine disasters.
Transcribed from the marker, not summarised.
Find the place
The County of Grey
The Township of Georgian Bluffs
In Colpoy's Lookout Conservation Area
on the north side of Road 1
11.5 km east of Highway 6 in Wiarton
Also recorded for this place: http://www.lfpress.com/2017/12/04/may-be-bodies-on-board-136-year-old-steamer-wreck
N 44 47.909 W 81 01.723
Recorded October 2011. Check current access before visiting.
More information
More views
Where it stands
Related
Visitors' notes
December 7, 2017
Just a note to let everyone know, if you have not heard, that this ship has recently been found mostly intact and covered in Zebra muscles. A pretty rare find. Here is a link to the newspaper article.http://www.lfpress.com/2017/12/04/may-be-bodies-on-board-136-year-old-steamer-wreck
March 2, 2011
This is a great information site! I'm doing a project on the Jane Miller, and I now know the story... or at least part of it.
August 6, 2008
Was just notified to-day that -- "The Jane Miller plaque was vandalized twice in the last 2 years and Grey Sauble Conservation has assisted the Ontario Heritage Trust with re-installing the sign." -- Wording is the same but it is now situated at the Lookout wall instead of the median. Reverse photo gives the same view as your photo. Karl
July 16, 2008
Still missing as vandals tore it down a couple of years ago.