The J.D. Marshall

The J.D. Marshall (HM3TP)

Location: Chesterton, IN 46304 Porter County
Buy Indiana State flags at!
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at!

N 41° 39.571', W 87° 3.005'

  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
J.D. Marshall Propeller

This propeller is from the steam barge J.D. Marshall. It weights over 4,000 pounds! It was made in 1891 and has 4 blades. Modern boats use a 3-blade propeller for improved efficiency with decrease of horsepower.

The J.D. Marshall was 154-ft steamship that hauled lumber for twenty years. Then in 1911, the boat was sold and converted into a sand sucker. Sand suckers were used to pull wet sand from the lake bottom into their cargo holds. No one knows for sure what the Marshall was hauling the night of its last journey. Some records say that it was carrying 1,000 tons of sand. Other records say that it was carrying coal and pig iron.

This is what we know for sure: On the night of June 10, 1911, the J.D. Marshall was anchored near where the Beach Pavilion now stands. The hull began to leak. The crew patched the leak, and remained anchored for the night. During the early morning of June 11, a strong storm blew in. The parched area began to leak, and the crewmen went below to fix it. As storm waves continued to pound the J.D. Marshall, it ultimately capsized.

There were ten men on board. Three were trapped below deck and died. Seven jumped or were thrown into the water. Five of them later climbed up on the overturned ship and waited to be rescued. The captain made it to shore, but the first mate did not.

Thousands of people visit the beach at Indiana Dunes State Park each summer. most of them are unaware of this tragic story and the remains of the J.D. Marshall, which now rest just north of the swimming beach, in about 30 feet of water.
HM NumberHM3TP
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Thursday, October 23rd, 2014 at 10:55pm PDT -07:00
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)16T E 495830 N 4611975
Decimal Degrees41.65951667, -87.05008333
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 41° 39.571', W 87° 3.005'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds41° 39' 34.26" N, 87° 3' 0.30" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)219
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 195 Trail 7, Chesterton IN 46304, US


Nearby Markersshow on map
Check Ins  check in   |    all


Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. Is this marker part of a series?
  2. What historical period does the marker represent?
  3. What historical place does the marker represent?
  4. What type of marker is it?
  5. What class is the marker?
  6. What style is the marker?
  7. Does the marker have a number?
  8. What year was the marker erected?
  9. Who or what organization placed the marker?
  10. This marker needs at least one picture.
  11. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  12. Is the marker in the median?