Identification & Site Information

• Name: HURON CITY
• Former Names: None
• Official Number: 11579
• Type at Loss: Propeller, wood-hulled, bulk freight “steambarge”
• Date Built and Launched: 1867
• Builder: G. Fordham, Sandusky, Ohio
• Measurements: 167 ft (50.9 m) length, 29 ft (8.8 m) beam, 10 ft (3 m) depth; 269 gross tons, 277 net tons
• Date Lost: September 21, 1917
• Place of Loss: Sandwich, Ontario (now part of Windsor), Detroit River

Vessel Type

Wooden Propeller Steambarge (Bulk Freight)

Description

The Huron City was a wooden-hulled steambarge built in 1867 by G. Fordham in Sandusky, Ohio. Designed for the bulk freight trade, the vessel measured 167 feet in length and was used primarily to transport coal, grain, lumber, and other bulk commodities across the Great Lakes and connecting waterways. As a propeller-driven steambarge, the HURON CITY represented a transitional design from traditional sailing schooners to powered vessels, allowing for more efficient cargo transport without reliance on wind.

History

For five decades, the HURON CITY served in the Great Lakes bulk freight industry, contributing to the region’s growing economic importance during the industrial expansion of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Operating in busy shipping lanes like the Detroit River, the vessel was part of the network that connected industrial centers like Detroit, Windsor, and Buffalo with the raw materials from the Upper Great Lakes and agricultural products from the Midwest.

By 1917, the vessel was aging and may have been near the end of its operational life. On September 21, 1917, while moored at Sandwich, Ontario (now part of Windsor), the HURON CITY was destroyed by fire. Fortunately, no one was aboard at the time of the fire, and no lives were lost. The cause of the fire is unspecified, but fires on aging wooden vessels were common due to issues like faulty wiring, fuel leaks, or accidental ignition from nearby operations.

After the fire, the remains of the vessel lay on the riverbank for a year. By 1918, the HURON CITY was stripped of valuable materials and officially Abandoned.

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Final Disposition

Totally destroyed by fire while moored at Sandwich, Ontario, on September 21, 1917. The vessel remained on the Detroit River‘s bank until stripped and Abandoned in 1918. No lives were lost as the vessel was unoccupied at the time of the fire.

Located By & Date Found

Nil—the vessel was stripped and Abandoned onshore, and no wreck site remains.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil—no current navigational advisories related to the HURON CITY in the Detroit River.

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Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Windsor Maritime Society

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Conclusion

The HURON CITY’s destruction by fire in 1917 marks the end of a vessel that served the Great Lakes bulk freight industry for 50 years. Built during the early era of steam-powered freight vessels, the HURON CITY played a role in transporting essential materials across the interconnected waterways of the Great Lakes and the Detroit River. Her loss without casualties speaks to the luck of timing, as fires on such vessels could easily have led to tragic outcomes if they occurred while the ship was in service.

The vessel’s abandonment on the Detroit River‘s shores is emblematic of the fate of many aging wooden freighters during this time, as newer steel-hulled ships began to dominate the shipping lanes. While little remains of the HURON CITY today, her story contributes to the rich maritime heritage of Detroit, Windsor, and the broader Great Lakes region.

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Keywords, Categories, and Glossary Terms

• Keywords: HURON CITY steambarge shipwreck, Detroit River ship fire, Sandwich Ontario maritime history, Sandusky Ohio shipbuilders, Great Lakes bulk freighter losses
• Categories: Detroit River Shipwrecks, Wooden Steambarges, Fire-Related Shipwrecks, Bulk Freight Vessel Losses, Late 19th Century Maritime History
• Glossary Terms:
• Steambarge: A type of vessel powered by a steam engine, used primarily for transporting bulk goods across the Great Lakes and connecting waterways.
• Stripped and Abandoned: A process where a vessel is salvaged for valuable materials and then left to deteriorate or be scrapped, common for ships at the end of their operational life.
• Sandwich, Ontario: A historic town along the Detroit River, now part of Windsor, known for its maritime connections and role in Great Lakes shipping.