Identification & Site Information

• Name: GEORGE L. DUNLAP
• Former Names: None
• Official Number: 10347
• Date Built and Launched: 1864
• Builder: W.H. Wolf, Fort Howard, Wisconsin
• Homeport: Bay City, Michigan
• Final Owner: Unknown
• Vessel Type: Wooden Sidewheel Steamer
• Hull Materials: Wood
• Power: Steam-powered with side paddle wheels
• Measurements: Length: 185 ft (56.4 m) Beam: 23 ft (7.0 m) Depth: 10 ft (3.0 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 436 tons
• Net Tonnage: 338 tons
• Primary Cargo: Winter supplies and merchandise for lumber camps
• Final Route: Bay City, MI → North Shore Ports (Lake Huron)

Vessel Type

The GEORGE L. DUNLAP was a wooden Sidewheel Steamer, designed for passenger and package freight transport on the Great Lakes.

Key Features of Sidewheel Steamers:

• Operated using large paddle wheels on the sides
• Primarily used for passenger and package freight service
• Designed for speed and maneuverability on shorter routes
• Less suited for winter operations due to ice damage risks

At 185 feet in length and 436 gross tons, the GEORGE L. DUNLAP was a mid-sized Steamer, serving ports along the shores of Lake Huron.

History

The GEORGE L. DUNLAP was a workhorse of the Great Lakes shipping industry, transporting passengers and cargo for over 16 years before succumbing to ice damage in 1880.

Key Events in the Vessel’s History:

• 1864: Built in Fort Howard, Wisconsin, by W.H. Wolf for passenger and package freight service.
• 1880, November 20: Cut by ice in Saginaw Bay while carrying supplies for lumber camps.
• 1880, Late November: Returned to Bay City, but Foundered at the dock.
• 1881: Laid up for possible repair but eventually Abandoned.

Final Disposition

The GEORGE L. DUNLAP was lost on November 20, 1880, when ice punctured its Hull above the ice plating, causing heavy flooding.

The Disaster

• The vessel was traveling from Bay City, Michigan, to supply northern lumber camps.
• Ice cut through the wooden Hull, causing heavy leakage.
• The crew dumped nearly all the cargo overboard to lighten the load.
• Despite their efforts, the Steamer barely made it back to its dock in Bay City.
• It Foundered at the dock, with water reaching the decks.
• Though considered for repair, it was ultimately Abandoned and left to deteriorate.

This incident illustrates the dangers of winter navigation on the Great Lakes, as ice could easily pierce wooden hulls, leading to catastrophic damage.

Located By & Date Found

Nil return. There are no confirmed reports of the GEORGE L. DUNLAP‘s wreck remains being discovered or documented.

Since it Foundered at the dock in Bay City, its remains have been salvaged or deteriorated over time.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return. No modern navigational hazards related to this wreck are reported in Bay City or Saginaw Bay.

Resources & Links

• Historical Databases:
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File
• Local Archives & Museums:
• Bay County Historical Museum (Bay City, MI) (Potential archival material on the shipwreck and winter shipping)
• Michigan Maritime Museum (South Haven, MI) (Records on sidewheel steamers and their operations)
• Wisconsin Maritime Museum (Manitowoc, WI) (Historical records on Great Lakes sidewheelers)

Conclusion

The GEORGE L. DUNLAP was a well-used Sidewheel Steamer that fell victim to the hazards of ice navigation in the Great Lakes.

Despite a desperate effort to save the vessel, it ultimately Foundered at its dock and was Abandoned.