Name(s): Shenango No. 2, Pere Marquette 16, Muskegon, Harriet B

• Registry: United States
• Official Number: 116695
• Vessel Type: Railroad Car Ferry, later converted to Pulp Barge
• Builder: Craig Ship Building Co.
• Place Built: Toledo, Ohio
• Date Built: 1895
• Hull Material: Wood
• Engine: None (after 1921 Conversion to Barge)

Dimensions:

• Length: 282 ft (85.9 m)
• Width: 53 ft (16.2 m)
• Depth: 19 ft (5.8 m)

Vessel Type

The Shenango No. 2, later known as Harriet B, began its career as a wooden-hulled railroad car Ferry before being converted to a Barge in 1921. It was used for freight transportation, including pulpwood and coal, reflecting its versatility and adaptability in maritime commerce.

Description

Built in 1895, the vessel started service as Shenango No. 2, operating as a railroad car Ferry on Lake Erie. With twin engines on the Stern and a single bow engine for icebreaking, it served between Conneaut, Ohio, and Port Dover, Ontario, before moving to Lake Michigan. The vessel was sold, renamed multiple times, and eventually acquired by Hammermill Paper Company in 1918. Renamed Harriet B, the ship transported pulpwood from Lake Superior to Erie, Pennsylvania, returning with coal.

In 1921, the vessel underwent significant modifications, including removal of its central cabins, transforming it into a freight Barge. On May 3, 1922, while under tow alongside the Barge Crete, the Harriet B was struck by the Steamer Quincy Shaw in heavy fog near Two Harbors, Minnesota. The collision caused the vessel to sink rapidly in Lake Superior. Remarkably, there was no loss of life.

Final Dispositions

The wreck of the Harriet B rests in 656 ft (200 m) of water, approximately four miles east of Two Harbors, Minnesota, in Lake Superior. The wreck is remarkably intact and considered the most well-preserved shipwreck in Minnesota waters.

• The Hull remains upright on a heading of 153 degrees.

• Damage is visible at the collision point, but the rest of the vessel is preserved, including forward cabins beneath the Forecastle Deck and aft cabins below the main Deck.

• The pilot house detached during the sinking and drifted ashore at Knife River, while the captain’s quarters below it are extant but collapsed outward.

• Traces of paint and ship names are still visible on the Hull’s sides and Stern.

Located By & Date Found

The wreck was discovered as part of efforts to locate and document shipwrecks in the deeper waters of Lake Superior. Its intact condition makes it a valuable site for historical and archaeological research.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Due to the extreme depth of the wreck, exploration is limited to advanced diving technology, such as ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles). The cold, fresh waters of Lake Superior have contributed to the exceptional preservation of the site.

Resources & Links

• Great Lakes Historical Society: Harriet B
• Manitou Passage Underwater Preserve
• 3DShipwrecks. – Harriet B

3D Model – Harriet B

Keywords, Categories, Glossary

Keywords: Harriet B, Shenango No. 2, Lake Superior Shipwrecks, Two Harbors, Railroad Car Ferry, Pulp Barge

Categories: Great Lakes Shipwrecks, Maritime History, Deep-Water Shipwrecks

Glossary: Forecastle Deck, Pilot House, Tow Barge, Collision Wreck, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)