Wreck Report: Tug George W. Lormer / Harold B. Phillips

IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION

• Name: George W. Lormer (later renamed Mary Virginia and Harold B. Phillips)

• Type: Tug (Towboat)

• Official Numbers: U.S. (initial) – 32.83 tons; Canadian – C96857

• Location:

• Final Resting Place: Below the Sunset Hotel (exact coordinates not provided), likely near Sarnia, Ontario.

• Marker: Buoyed with a white boat fender marker buoy.

• Depth: Not specified.

• Accessibility: Anchor off the site; do not moor to the line.

VESSEL DESCRIPTION

• Construction Year: 1880

• Builder: Henry D. Root, Lorain, Ohio

• Hull Material: Wooden

• Dimensions:

• Original: 59.8 ft (length) × 15.7 ft (beam) × 7.7 ft (depth)

• Re-registered: 59 ft × 16 ft × 8 ft

• Tonnage:

• U.S.: Gross – 32.83 tons, Net – 16.42 tons

• Canadian: Gross – 66 tons, Net – 31 tons

• Powerplant: Two 14” x 16” engines, 425 horsepower

HISTORY

• Original Owner: Robert Greenbargh, Cleveland, Ohio

• Name Changes:

• Mary Virginia (1883)

• Harold B. Phillips (1903)

• Ownership Timeline:

• 1887: B.B. Inman, Duluth, Minnesota

• 1890: S. Wayne & Jay Harstey

• 1899: Thompson Towing

• 1903: Harold B. Phillips, Sarnia, Ontario

• 1930: C.S. Boone Dredge & Construction Co., Toronto, Ontario

The Tug served as a versatile and reliable vessel for maritime transportation and towing operations throughout the Great Lakes.

FINAL DISPOSITION

• Decommissioning: Stripped of machinery and fittings in 1933.

• Final Fate: Beached in a “boneyard” below the Sunset Hotel, joining other decommissioned vessels like the Abercorn, Scobia, Olga, and Tecumseth.

SITE NOTES

The Tug’s pilot house was removed and relocated to the north pier after its decommissioning. While the wreck’s remains may have deteriorated significantly, the site holds historical significance as part of the Great Lakes’ maritime heritage.

CAUTION & ADVISORIES

• Buoying Information: Marked with a white boat fender marker buoy.

• Diving Notes: Do not moor to the line; anchor off the site.

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes

• David Swayze Shipwreck File

• Great Lakes Ships Registry

This report celebrates the Tug’s legacy, highlighting its robust service history and its role in shaping Great Lakes maritime transport.