The wooden two masted schooner Minnesota was built in Oswego, New York on the Oswego River in 1847 and launched by the George S. Weeks shipyard on September 11th of that year. The official registry number was 16646 and the Board Of Lake Underwriters valued the vessel at $4,000 and rated her B1 in 1961. Note: It is easy to confuse the schooner Minnesota 16646 with the brig turned schooner Minnesota16644. Both were build in the year 1847 but at two different locations and had dissimilar lives.

April 1850: Went ashore on the Grand River, Michigan with the George W. Dole.

November 1857: Ashore near Michigan City, Indiana.

July 1858: Collided with the propeller Mayflower and towed to Erie, Pa for repairs.

September 1862: Aground on Lake Erie at Port Colborne.

October 1863: Collided with the schooner Arrow on the Detroit River.

April 1864: Collided with the schooner Tartic in the Toledo Harbor.

August 1866: While lumber laden sunk in the Detroit River.

November 1868: Aground at Manistee.

November 1869: Involved in a collision at Menomenee.

Last Document Of Enrollment Surrendered: Chicago: 12/22/1873: "Vessel went ashore and broken up".
The schooner Minnesota went ashore November 1, 1873 during a storm and completely broke up north of Two Rivers Point. It's cargo, which consisted of lumber, lath, and pickets, was strewn along the beach for several miles.