The Interlaken was originally built in 1893 as a 170-foot long, 34-foot wide 3-masted schooner. It was built in 1893 in Algonac, Michigan, by Abram Smith & Sons, and was owned by A. W. Comstock of Alpena.
After having several other owners through the years, by 1913 the owners had cut the schooner down and made it into a barge.
In 1934, Ira “Jack” Lyons had taken over the ownership of the vessel and was using it as a construction barge during the building of North Manitou Shoals Lighthouse.
On Oct. 4, 1934, it was reported that a tow barge, belonging to Marine Contractor Ira “Jack Lyons of Whitehall, foundered in the heavy seas and a scow went ashore about six miles north of White Lake.
The two craft were coming from North Manitou Shoals to White Lake harbor for the winter and got into difficulty when the tug, Fred C. Greiling by which they were being towed, ran out of coal within sight of their destination. The tug made port with difficulty after emergency fuel was brought out by a Boatswain’s mate from the White Lake Coast Guard station. The two craft were anchored as best as possible awaiting the tugs return.
The Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba was summoned from Grand Haven and stood by throughout the night, but was unable to lend much assistance because of the shallowness of the water in which the distressed vessels were in.
By the time the Muskegon Coast Guard arrived and were standing by, the tug Greiling had made an attempt to aid the floundering boats, and bent a rudder support in the shallow water forcing it to turn back to port.
The Muskegon crew tried unsuccessfully to run a line from the Escanaba to the floundering Interlaken. They finally succeeded in throwing a line across the barge with a shoulder gun, but the line parted under the strain.
Darkness prevented another attempt, and the Escanaba stood throughout the night, unable to offer aid to the stricken vessels.
The Muskegon Coast Guard boat put in at the White Lake harbor until daylight, when they returned to find the barge and scow beached and proceeded to remove the four-man crew from the barge before it sank.
It was estimated there was about $75,000 worth of marine equipment on board the Interlaken, which was going to be salvaged. The hull was believed to be in bad shape. The tug, which suffered only a bent support, was valued at $10,000. The scow was pulled off the beach and towed to White Lake.
The remains of the Interlaken are about 600 feet offshore, approximately seven miles north of Whitehall.
