CITY OF COLLINGWOOD: A Flagship Lost to Fire

IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION

• Vessel Name: City of Collingwood

• Vessel Type: Propeller Steamer

• Year Built: 1893

• Builder: John Simpson, Owen Sound, Ontario

• Dimensions:

• Length: 213 feet (64.9 metres)

• Beam: 34 feet (10.4 metres)

• Depth: 13 feet (4 metres)

• Gross Tonnage: 1,387 tons

• Net Tonnage: 893 tons

• Hull Material: Wood

• Owners: Northern Navigation Company, Collingwood, Ontario

• Last Registered Port: Collingwood, Ontario

• Wreck Location: “Graveyard of the Harbor,” Collingwood, Georgian Bay, Ontario

• Current Condition: Burned to the waterline, broken in two, and lying in the mud

VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION

The City of Collingwood was a propeller-driven wooden Steamer designed for passenger and package freight transportation on Georgian Bay and the surrounding Great Lakes. Its design and construction emphasized versatility and reliability, catering to the needs of the bustling maritime trade and passenger routes in Ontario during the late 19th century. The vessel was regarded as a flagship of the Northern Navigation Company and played a vital role in the regional transportation network.

HISTORY

Construction and Early Service

The City of Collingwood was launched in 1893 by John Simpson in Owen Sound, Ontario, and quickly became a cornerstone of the Northern Navigation Company’s fleet. Its 213-foot wooden Hull was robust enough to withstand the challenges of Great Lakes navigation, and its dual-purpose role as a passenger and freight vessel made it indispensable for connecting communities and supporting commerce in the Georgian Bay region.

Salvage Feat

In 1895, the City of Collingwood was salvaged from a depth of 110 feet (33.5 metres) off Cove Island in Georgian Bay after a prior incident. This operation marked a significant achievement in maritime salvage at the time and underscored the vessel’s importance to its owners.

Fire and Tragic Loss

On June 16, 1905, tragedy struck at the Grand Trunk Rail docks in Collingwood, Ontario, after the City of Collingwood had assisted the damaged Steamer Britannic. A fire broke out in the vessel’s engine room, spreading rapidly through its wooden structure. Efforts to save the ship were in vain, and the burning vessel was towed by the Tug Saucy Jim to the local “graveyard of the harbor,” where it burned alongside the remains of its sister ship, the City of Parry Sound, which had been lost under similar circumstances five years earlier.

The fire claimed the lives of four crew members, with the remainder of the crew forced to leap overboard to escape the flames. The vessel was reduced to a burnt-out hulk, its machinery and boilers rendered worthless. The Northern Navigation Company suffered a significant loss, both financially and symbolically, as the City of Collingwood was considered a flagship of their Georgian Bay Division.

FINAL DISPOSITION

The City of Collingwood was declared a Total Loss after the fire of 1905. The wreck, burned to the waterline and broken in two, remains at the “graveyard of the harbor” in Collingwood, Georgian Bay. Salvage of valuable components was not feasible due to the extensive damage, and the remains were left to settle in the mud.

NOTMARs & ADVISORIES

No current Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) are associated with the wreck of the City of Collingwood. The harbor area, now developed, retains the historical significance of these maritime losses.

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Collingwood Museum and Archives: Local history and artifacts from the Georgian Bay region.

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

CONCLUSION

The City of Collingwood was a vital part of Ontario’s maritime history, embodying the importance of Great Lakes vessels in connecting and supporting communities. Its tragic end in 1905, alongside the loss of lives, highlights the dangers of fire aboard wooden steamers and the challenges of early 20th-century maritime operations. Despite its destruction, the vessel’s legacy remains a significant chapter in the story of Georgian Bay’s bustling maritime era.

Keywords: City of Collingwood, Great Lakes shipwrecks, Georgian Bay maritime history, wooden steamers, Northern Navigation Company, Collingwood harbor fire.

External Links