Identification & Site Information

• Name: James Beard
• Former Name: Wesley Hawkins (1873–1882)
• • Date Built: 1873
• • Place Built: Au Sable, Michigan
• • Rebuilt & Renamed: 1882, renamed James Beard after major reconstruction
• • Type: Wooden Ferry

Specifications:

• Tonnage: 86 tons
• Length: 72 ft 5 in (22.07 m)
• Beam (Width): 17 ft 2 in (5.23 m)
• Depth of Hold: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
• Date Abandoned: 1927
• Primary Route: Port Huron, Michigan ↔ Sarnia, Ontario (across the St. Clair River)
• Service Life: Over 40 years of continuous Ferry service

Vessel Type

The James Beard was a wooden-hulled Ferry, originally built as the Wesley Hawkins in 1873. After being Rebuilt in 1882, she was renamed and served as a passenger and vehicle Ferry across the busy St. Clair River, connecting Port Huron, Michigan, with Sarnia, Ontario.

Ferries like the James Beard were vital to regional transportation during this era, providing essential links between U.S. and Canadian communities before the construction of modern bridges and tunnels. They carried a mix of passengers, horse-drawn wagons, early automobiles, and cargo, playing a key role in cross-border trade and travel.

Description

Constructed in Au Sable, Michigan, the original vessel (Wesley Hawkins) was a modest-sized Ferry, reflecting the needs of the growing communities along the Great Lakes and connecting waterways. Measuring 72 feet 5 inches in length, with a 17-foot beam and a 6-foot Draft, she was well-suited for navigating the St. Clair River’s strong currents and busy shipping lanes.

In 1882, after nearly a decade of service, she underwent a major Rebuild, likely to modernize her structure, improve capacity, or update her propulsion system. Following this reconstruction, she was renamed James Beard, marking the beginning of a 40+ year career as a cross-border Ferry.

Operational History

The James Beard operated for over four decades as a Ferry between Port Huron, Michigan, and Sarnia, Ontario—a critical transportation route long before the construction of the Blue Water Bridge in 1938. During her service, she would have witnessed significant changes in maritime and transportation history, including:

• The transition from horse-drawn carriages to early automobiles
• Growth in cross-border commerce and passenger traffic
• Increasing competition from rail ferries and eventually automobile bridges

Her role would have been especially important during the late 19th and early 20th centuries when ferries were the only reliable means of crossing between the two cities for both people and goods.

Final Years and Abandonment

By the 1920s, the rise of larger, more modern ferries, combined with the advent of bridge construction projects like the Blue Water Bridge, rendered many older ferries obsolete. In 1927, after over 50 years of service under two names, the James Beard was Abandoned.

The term “Abandoned” typically indicates that the vessel was decommissioned, stripped of valuable equipment, and left to deteriorate, either afloat or beached. Some ferries from this era were scuttled (intentionally sunk), repurposed as breakwaters, or left in ship graveyards along rivers and lakes.

Final Disposition

• Status: Abandoned in 1927
• Fate: Unknown—there are no specific records detailing whether she was scrapped, scuttled, or left to deteriorate along the shoreline.
• Possible Locations: Port Huron, Sarnia, or nearby areas along the St. Clair River, where many obsolete vessels were disposed of during that period.

Located By & Date Found

Nil – No confirmed discovery of the vessel’s remains has been reported. However, given the busy maritime history of the Port Huron–Sarnia region, local divers and maritime historians may have encountered remnants in ship graveyards along the St. Clair River.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil – No current navigational hazards or maritime advisories associated with the vessel’s final resting place.

Historical Significance

The James Beard reflects the evolution of cross-border transportation on the Great Lakes, serving as a vital Ferry during a transformative period in North American history. Her career bridged the gap between the age of sail and steamand the modern era of automobile bridges and rail tunnels.

She also represents the thousands of workhorse vessels that quietly supported regional economies, facilitating trade, tourism, and community connections long before modern infrastructure made such travel routine.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Vessels Database (BGSU)
• Port Huron Museum
• Sarnia Historical Society
• Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center

Suggested Keywords, Categories, and Glossary Terms

Keywords: James Beard, Wesley Hawkins, Port Huron-Sarnia Ferry, St. Clair River Ferry history, Great Lakes transportation, Au Sable shipbuilding

Categories: Great Lakes Ferries, Maritime History of the St. Clair River, 19th Century Wooden Vessels, Abandoned Vessels of the Great Lakes

Glossary Terms:

• Ferry: A vessel designed to transport passengers, vehicles, and cargo across a body of water on a regular schedule.
• Rebuilt: A process where a vessel undergoes significant structural modifications, often improving performance or capacity.
• Abandoned (Maritime): The decommissioning of a vessel, leaving it to deteriorate naturally, either afloat or beached.
• St. Clair River: A key waterway connecting Lake Huron to Lake St. Clair, forming part of the U.S.–Canada border.

Conclusion

The James Beard, originally launched as the Wesley Hawkins in 1873, served as a critical transportation link between Port Huron and Sarnia for over half a century. Her long service life reflects the importance of Ferry systems in an era before modern bridges and highways. Though she was Abandoned in 1927, her story offers a glimpse into the dynamic maritime history of the Great Lakes region, where vessels like hers quietly shaped the growth of border communities and commerce.