IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION

Vessel Name:

NIPIGON (later renamed MAPLEHILL and MAPLEGRANGE)

Type:

Bulk Propeller (Steambarge)

Dimensions:

•Length: 240 feet (73.15 meters)

•Width: 33.9 feet (10.33 meters)

•Depth: 13.7 feet (4.17 meters)

Depth at Wreck Site:

60 feet (18.29 meters)

Location:

Amherst Island Graveyard, Lake Ontario

Coordinates:

Precise coordinates not available, part of the Amherst Island Graveyard

VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION

The NIPIGON was a wooden-hulled steambarge constructed in 1883 in St. Clair, Michigan. With its robust frame reinforced by diagonal steel straps and equipped with a compound screw engine producing 500 horsepower, the vessel was designed to handle substantial cargo loads, including up to 765,000 feet of lumber. Its round Stern and single-Deck design reflected the practical needs of Great Lakes shipping during the late 19th century.

HISTORY

Construction and Early Service

Built in 1883 under the direction of master carpenter Simon Langel, the NIPIGON was commissioned for the Whitney Transportation Company, owned by Detroit magnate David Whitney Jr.. Initially, the vessel played a significant role in the burgeoning lumber trade, transporting vast amounts of timber across the Great Lakes.

Notable Incidents

Throughout its operational life, the NIPIGON was involved in several maritime incidents:

•1892: The NIPIGON collided with the Steamer VIENNA, causing the latter to sink.

•The vessel also underwent upgrades, including new boilers and additional masts, to extend its service life and improve efficiency.

Ownership and Renaming

Ownership of the NIPIGON changed hands multiple times. By 1919, it was renamed MAPLEHILL, and in 1920, it took on the name MAPLEGRANGE under the Montreal Transportation Co.

Final Years

By the mid-1920s, the aging vessel was deemed obsolete and laid up. In 1929, it was scuttled in Kingston Harbour, specifically in the Amherst Island Graveyard, as part of a cleanup effort to dispose of older vessels no longer viable for trade.

FINAL DISPOSITION

The NIPIGON (MAPLEGRANGE) was scuttled in 1929 in the Amherst Island Graveyard. This site, a designated area for the disposal of decommissioned ships, now serves as a historical resting place for numerous vessels from the Great Lakes’ shipping past.

CURRENT CONDITION & ACCESSIBILITY

•Depth: The wreck lies at 60 feet (18.29 meters), making it suitable for most recreational divers.

•Condition: The cold freshwater environment of Lake Ontario helps preserve the wooden Hull, though structural degradation is likely over time.

•Accessibility: Divers visiting the site should exercise caution due to potential hazards such as entanglement in debris and Visibility challenges in the graveyard’s murky waters.

RESOURCES & LINKS

•Divehub.ca: Offers dive site details and guides for exploring the Amherst Island Graveyard wrecks.

•Historical Collections of the Great Lakes (HCGL): Includes historical documentation and ship records related to the NIPIGON and similar vessels.

•Queens University POW Photo Project 1998: Features archival footage and images of shipwrecks, including the NIPIGON/MAPLEGRANGE.

•Vlada Dekina Photogallery 2002: Displays photos of shipwrecks, providing visual insights into Lake Ontario’s maritime heritage.

KEYWORDS

•NIPIGON

•MAPLEHILL / MAPLEGRANGE

•Amherst Island Graveyard

•Great Lakes Shipwrecks

•Kingston Harbour Clean-Up

•Lake Ontario Diving

•Scuttled Vessels

•Great Lakes Maritime History

ANALYSIS

The NIPIGON exemplifies the lifecycle of Great Lakes vessels during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its early role in the lumber trade highlights the economic drivers of the era, while its collisions, upgrades, and renamings reflect the challenges and adaptations faced by such vessels.

The decision to scuttle the NIPIGON in the Amherst Island Graveyard illustrates a pragmatic approach to disposing of aging ships, a common practice as newer, more efficient vessels emerged. Today, the wreck serves as a submerged monument to the ingenuity and hardships of Great Lakes shipping, offering divers and historians a glimpse into a bygone era.