SS Lac La Belle

Lac La Belle as she was owned by the Englemann Transportation Company
History
United States
Name	Lac La Belle
Owner	Robert Hanna & Company (1864–1869) Nathan Englemann (1869–1872)
Operator	Englemann Transportation Company (1870–1872)
Port of registry	Cleveland, Ohio, United States later Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Builder	Ira Lafrinier of Cleveland, Ohio
Launched	April 30, 1864
In service	1864
Out of service	October 14, 1872
Identification	US official number 15803
Fate	Sank in a collision on Lake Michigan
General characteristics
Class and type	Package freighter
Tonnage	872.5 GRT 1,187.19 GRT (after re-measurement)
Length	217.5 feet (66.3 m)
Beam	31.5 feet (9.6 m)
Depth	13.25 feet (4.0 m)
Installed power	Engine: 2 × two cylinder high pressure condensing engines Boilers: 2 × firebox boilers
Propulsion	2 × 4–bladed fixed pitch propellers

SS Lac La Belle was a wooden-hulled American package freighter in service between 1864 and 1872. She was built in 1864 in Cleveland, Ohio, by Ira Lafrinier for Hanna & Garretson, also of Cleveland. She had an identical sister ship named Ironsides. Lac La Belle operated between Cleveland and Lake Superior for a number of years, and was sold several times. In 1869, she was sold to Nathan Englemann of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and operated between Milwaukee and Grand Haven, Michigan. In 1871, she became part of the Englemann Transportation Company. Throughout her career, Lac La Belle was involved in several accidents.

On the night of October 13, 1872, Lac La Belle left Milwaukee for Grand Haven under the command of Captain W. H. Thompson, with about 19,000 bushels of barley, 1,200 barrels of flour, 50 barrels of pork, 25 barrels of whiskey, 20 tons of animal feed, sundries and 53 passengers and crew on board. There was a gale blowing across Lake Michigan. As she was travelling about 25 miles (40.2 km) off Racine, Wisconsin, she began leaking. At around midnight, the rising water in Lac La Belle's engine room extinguished the fire in her boilers. All attempts to save her failed. Next morning, the passengers and crew began abandoning Lac La Belle. She sank about 20 miles (32.2 km) off Racine. One of the lifeboats capsized, resulting in the deaths of eight people.

As of 2024, the wreck of Lac La Belle has not been located.