Identification & Site Information

• Name: ARROW
• Other Names: None reported
• Official Number: None assigned
• Date Built and Launched: 1865
• Builder: East Saginaw, Michigan (specific shipyard unknown)
• Original Home Port: Not documented
• Vessel Type: Wooden coaster-Tug (a small Tugboat used for coastal trade and towing)
• Hull Materials: Wood
• Number of Decks: 1
• Power:
• Propulsion: Steam-powered, screw propeller (likely single propeller)
• Measurements:
• Length: 70 ft (21.3 m)
• Beam: 18 ft (5.5 m)
• Depth: 3 ft (0.9 m)
• Tonnage: 24 tons
• Primary Route: Regular coasting service along the northern shore of Lake Huron

Vessel Type

The ARROW was a small coaster-Tug, likely used for local freight, towing, and passenger transport along the northern Lake Huron shoreline. Coaster-tugs were versatile vessels, often used for towing barges, assisting larger ships into ports, and delivering supplies to remote locations. Given its small size and shallow Draft, the ARROW was well-suited for navigating near shorelines, quarries, and small harbors.

History

The ARROW was only in service for three years before being lost in a storm in 1868.

Key Events in the Vessel’s History:

• 1865: Built in East Saginaw, Michigan, as a coaster-Tug for nearshore transport and towing.
• 1865-1868: Operated along northern Lake Huron, regularly stopping at small ports, quarries, and lumber mills.
• October 7, 1868: Caught in a severe storm and sank near Rogers City, Michigan.

Final Disposition

The ARROW was lost on October 7, 1868, while attempting to seek shelter at Crawford’s Quarry, near Rogers City, Michigan.

The Disaster

• A gale struck northern Lake Huron, forcing the ARROW to seek refuge at Crawford’s Quarry.
• The vessel reached the dock, but high winds and waves battered the small Tugboat against the shoreline.
• The pounding was severe enough to sink the vessel near shore.
• No lives were lost, and the crew escaped safely.
• Recovery was considered possible, but no record of the vessel exists after its sinking, suggesting it was never salvaged or returned to service.

Located By & Date Found

Nil return. The wreck of the ARROW has never been officially located or documented near Rogers City, Michigan.

Due to its small size and nearshore sinking, any remains may be buried under lakebed sediments or destroyed by storms over time.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return. No modern navigational hazards related to this wreck are reported near Crawford’s Quarry, Rogers City, Lake Huron.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File

Conclusion

The ARROW is a small but significant part of Great Lakes maritime history, representing the hundreds of small coaster-tugs that played a vital role in local trade, industry, and navigation.

Though not a major freighter, vessels like the ARROW were critical for transporting supplies to small ports, quarries, and mills, helping to support the logging and stone industries of northern Michigan.

Its loss in 1868 during a storm is a reminder of the dangers faced by small vessels, especially those operating near shorelines where grounding, waves, and wind could easily overwhelm them.