MARINETTE, WI— The Wisconsin Historical Society has listed a shipwreck in Green Bay on its Register of Historic Places.
The Sidney O. Neff is located in 10 to 15 feet of water near Marinette. It was added to the register for its archeological significance as a steambarge.
The Neff was launched from Manitowoc in 1890 and sailed throughout the Great Lakes as part of the lumber industry. By 1934, the ship was determined unseaworthy and abandoned in Marinette until 1939, when the machinery was salvaged and the vessel sunk.
The shipwreck still retains many of its hull components with artifacts, including the engine and propeller. Officials say it’s a rare opportunity to witness wooden steambarge construction and the lumber trade at the turn of the century.
