Identification & Site Information

• Other Names: None (officially recorded as Geo. R. Hand)
• Official Number: 85663
• Vessel Type: Wooden propeller steam Tug
• Builder: C. Gibson & Co., Buffalo, New York
• Year Built: 1881
• Specifications: Length: 60 ft (18.3 m) Beam: 16 ft (4.9 m) Depth: 9 ft (2.7 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 35 tons
• Net Tonnage: 17 tons
• Hull Material: Wood

Service History & Role

The George R. Hand was a steam-powered Tugboat, built in Buffalo, New York, in 1881. Designed for harbour work and ship maneuvering, she served for nearly three decades assisting vessels in the Great Lakes region, particularly in Detroit and the surrounding waterways. She was frequently used for towing barges, assisting freighters, and working in Shipyards.

Unlike the smaller George Hand (1868), which burned in Oscoda, Michigan, in 1888, the George R. Hand operated much longer and was often confused with its earlier namesake.

Final Loss – January 3, 1908

On January 3, 1908, the George R. Hand was at the Great Lakes Engineering Works shipyard in Detroit, when a fire broke out aboard the Tug.

• The blaze spread rapidly, consuming the wooden vessel.
• Despite efforts to extinguish the fire, the Tug was burned to a Total Loss.
• All three crew members escaped safely, and no cargo was aboard at the time.

Dismantling & Aftermath

Although the vessel itself was a Total Loss, her engine was salvaged and installed in the newly built Tug Ecorse. The remains of the George R. Hand were dismantled later in 1908, and her official documents were surrendered at Port Huron on March 31, 1908, with the note: “burned, Total Loss.”

Final Disposition & Wreck Site

• Location: Detroit River, at the Great Lakes Engineering Works shipyard, Detroit, Michigan
• Condition: Dismantled after fire; no known wreck remains

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 George R. Hand was a workhorse of the Detroit waterfront, serving for 27 years before being lost to fire in 1908. Though she was completely destroyed, her engine lived on in the newly built Tug Ecorse, continuing her legacy of service on the Great Lakes.

GeorgeRHand #GreatLakesShipwrecks #DetroitRiver #MaritimeHistory #GreatLakesTugs #ShipwreckExploration #