TOURIST Identification & Site Information

• Other Names: None
• Official No.: 145742
• Type at Loss: Sternwheel Steamer, Wood, Passenger, Riverine
• Build Info: 1897, W. D. Preston, St. Joseph, Michigan
• Specs: Length: 87 feet (26.5 meters) Beam: 17 feet (5.2 meters) Depth: 4 feet (1.2 meters)
• Gross Tonnage: 66 tons (60 metric tonnes)
• Date of Loss: August 8, 1911
• Place of Loss: Calumet River at Riverdale, Illinois
• Lake: Michigan
• Type of Loss: Fire
• Loss of Life: None
• Carrying: None

History and Description

The TOURIST was a sternwheel Steamer, primarily used for passenger transport in the riverine waters around Lake Michigan. Built in 1897 by W. D. Preston in St. Joseph, Michigan, the vessel was a relatively small but efficient riverboat with a Gross Tonnage of 66 tons. She was powered by a sternwheel, a typical feature of many riverine vessels during the late 19th century.

The TOURIST was operated by the South Shore Steamship Company of Chicago, and she mainly served the passenger transport market. In 1898, just a year after she was launched, the vessel experienced a fire in the engine room while docked at St. Joseph, Michigan. The fire caused significant damage, and she was initially reported as a Total Loss. However, the vessel was later Rebuilt at St. Joseph under new ownership by Drake & Wallace, a testament to the resilience of Great Lakes shipping.

Final Disposition

On August 8, 1911, the TOURIST suffered another devastating fire, this time while docked at the Calumet River near Riverdale, Illinois. The fire started in the engine room once again and quickly consumed the vessel. Despite the previous Rebuild and repairs, the fire gutted the TOURIST, causing her to burn to a Total Loss at the dock. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties or injuries among her crew or passengers.

Her destruction marked the end of the TOURIST’s service on the Great Lakes and river systems. She was not Rebuilt after this second loss.

Sources & References

• Great Lakes Maritime Database: Includes the vessel’s historical data, including her two fires and final loss.
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes: Provides comprehensive insights into the incidents involving the TOURISTand her fire-related losses.
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Shipwreck Data: Details both the fires that led to the TOURIST’s demise and her history as a riverine passenger vessel.

Conclusion

The TOURIST’s history is marked by resilience and misfortune. Despite the devastating fire in 1898, she was Rebuilt and returned to service, only to meet her final fiery fate in 1911. Her story is a reminder of the vulnerability of early steamboats, especially those operating in confined spaces like river systems, where fire risks were all too common. The TOURIST represents a slice of the Great Lakes’ maritime heritage, showing both the challenges faced by vessels of the era and the determination to keep them afloat, even in the face of disaster.