Identification & Site Information

• Official Number: 81253
• Vessel Type: Wooden steambarge
• Builder: F.W. Wheeler, Bay City, Michigan
• Year Built: 1890
• Specifications: Length: 201 ft (61.3 m) Beam: 37 ft (11.3 m) Depth: 13 ft (4 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 746.65 tons
• Net Tonnage: 581.35 tons
• Number of Decks: 1
• Number of Masts: 3
• Hull Material: Wood
• Propulsion: Screw-driven steambarge
• Engine:
• Type: For-and-Aft Compound
• Cylinders: 2
• horsepower: 900 HP
• Builder: S.F. Hodge & Co., Detroit, MI (1890)
• Boiler:
• Type: Scotch boiler (Wicks Brothers, East Saginaw, MI)
• Size: 12 ½’ x 131″ @ 125# steam
• Propellers: 1

Ownership & Service History

The W.H. Sawyer was launched in 1890 and enrolled on February 18, 1890, in Bay City, Michigan. It was originally owned by A.C. Tuxbury of Tonawanda, New York, and later by W.H. Sawyer & Company, based in Worcester, Massachusetts.

The steambarge was primarily used to tow Schooner-barges in the bulk trade, transporting coal, lumber, and other materials across the Great Lakes. Among the vessels she towed were the C.E. Redfern and A.C. Tuxbury, both built in the same year.

• 1890: Enrolled in Bay City, MI, then in Suspension Bridge, NY, under A.C. Tuxbury et al.
• 1891: Transferred to Boston, MA, under W.H. Sawyer et al., Worcester, MA
• 1905: Transferred to Edward Hines Lumber Co., Chicago, IL
• 1915: Owned by Hamilton Transportation Co., Michigan City, IN
• 1923: Owned by Sawyer Transportation Co., Michigan City, IN

Final Voyage – August 11, 1928

On August 11, 1928, the W.H. Sawyer was carrying a cargo of limestone building materials when she grounded and broke up in a storm near Harbor Beach, Michigan, in Lake Huron.

• The wreck occurred 1,200 feet off the lighthouse at Harbour Beach.
• One crew member was lost out of 16.
• The wreckage was later removed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
• The ship’s documents were officially surrendered on September 20, 1928, marking the end of its 38-year career.

Final Disposition & Wreck Site

• Location: 1,200 feet off the Harbour Beach Lighthouse, Lake Huron
• Condition: The wreck was later removed by the Army Corps of Engineers

Located By & Date Found

Nil return

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return

Resources & Links

📖 More on Great Lakes Shipwrecks:
🔗 Maritime History of the Great Lakes
🔗 Great Lakes Shipwreck Research
🔗 David Swayze Shipwreck File
🔗 Save Ontario Shipwrecks

Conclusion

The W.H. Sawyer was a key vessel in the Great Lakes lumber and bulk cargo trade, serving for nearly four decades. As a tow Steamer for Schooner-barges, she played an essential role in moving goods across the Great Lakes. Her final loss in a storm off Harbor Beach, Michigan, and her subsequent removal by the Army Corps of Engineers, highlight the risks of early 20th-century lake navigation.

#WHSawyer #GreatLakesShipwrecks #LakeHuron #MaritimeHistory #ShipwreckDiving #HarborBeachWrecks