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Because
of its historical and archaeological significance, the Christina
Nilsson was nominated to the National Register of Historic
Places in 2003. The two separated sections of the Nilsson
are structurally intact and well preserved, providing
a unique glimpse into the design, construction, and workmanship
of post-Civil War Great Lakes schooners. Built in 1871, the
vessel represents the apex of Great Lakes
schooner
construction
and deomonstrates what skilled Wisconsin shipwrights could
create from bountiful, local timber. Few construction plans
for Great Lakes schooners built prior to 1880 have survived,
making the Nilsson
an important a source of archaeological data as well
as a tangible icon of nineteenth-century waterborne trade
on the Great Lakes.
Title
to Wisconsin's historic shipwrecks is held in public trust
by the State of Wisconsin for the benefit of all - both divers
and non-divers. Consequently, the general public should be
able to share equally in the discovery, exploration and appreciation
of Wisconsin's historic shipwrecks. Archaeologists from the
WHS and the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association (WUAA)
have been investigating the Christina Nilsson shipwreck
site since its discovery in 1997. Much of the archaeological
and historical information generated between 1997 and 2003
is being "repackaged" for outreach and education initiatives.
These interpretive materials stress the historic value of
the shipwreck and encourage divers to adhere to "zero impact"
diving practices.
Please
help preserve this invaluable piece of our maritime heritage.
If you visit the Christina Nilsson, please take only
pictures and leave only bubbles.
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