Propeller H.B. Tuttle (1871–1906)

Identification & Site Information

  • Name: H.B. Tuttle
  • Other Names: None
  • Official Number: 95092
  • Vessel Type at Loss: Wooden bulk freight propeller
  • Builder: LaFrinier & Quelos, Cleveland, Ohio
  • Year Built & Launched: 1871
  • Specifications: Length: 180 ft (54.9 m) Beam: 31 ft (9.4 m) Depth: 13 ft (4.0 m)
  • Gross Tonnage: 845 GT
  • Net Tonnage: 695 NT
  • Date Lost: September 15, 1906
  • Location of Loss: Off Marblehead, Ohio, Lake Erie
  • Cause of Loss: Sprang a leak in a storm, beached, later broke in two
  • Loss of Life: None
  • Cargo at Time of Loss: Coal

Vessel Description & History

The H.B. Tuttle was a wooden-hulled, steam-powered bulk freighter, built in 1871 in Cleveland, Ohio, by LaFrinier & Quelos. Designed for Great Lakes bulk cargo transport, she primarily carried coal, iron ore, grain, and other heavy freight between Lake Erie ports.  She was paired with the Schooner George H. Ely, operating as a Steamer/consort system, where steamers towed unpowered Schooner-barges to increase cargo capacity efficiently. By the early 20th century, she was still active but part of an aging fleet of wooden bulk freighters, which were being gradually replaced by steel-hulled vessels.

Final Voyage & Loss

On September 15, 1906, the H.B. Tuttle was caught in a gale on Lake Erie while carrying a load of coal. She sprang a leak during the storm, forcing her crew to beach the vessel off Marblehead, Ohio, to prevent sinking. The U.S. Lifesaving Service successfully rescued the crew and later attempted to salvage the vessel.  She was refloated and towed to Sandusky, Ohio, where she was placed in a graving dock (dry dock) for repairs. However, before repairs could be completed, her Hull broke in two, causing her to sink at the dock.  Deemed unsalvageable, she was Abandoned in place.

Final Disposition & Salvage

Declared a Total Loss after breaking apart in Sandusky.  No records of further salvage efforts. Portions of the wreck may still remain near Sandusky.

Located By & Date Found

 No confirmed modern discovery of the wreck site. Any remains are likely buried beneath dock expansions or sediment.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Marblehead, Ohio, and Sandusky Bay were common sites of shipwrecks due to storms and heavy shipping traffic in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The H.B. Tuttle was one of the many wooden bulk freighters that dominated Great Lakes commerce in the late 19th century. After 35 years of service, she met her end during a storm on Lake Erie, ultimately breaking apart and sinking in Sandusky, Ohio. Though her exact remains are unknown, her story is a testament to the challenges faced by early steam freighters and the rapid evolution of Great Lakes shipping at the turn of the century.