Anna C. Minch US 107846 C 153113

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: SS Anna C. Minch
• Type: Steel-hulled bulk freighter
• Year Built: 1903
• Builder: American Ship Building Company, Cleveland, Ohio
• Dimensions: Length ≈ 380 ft (120 m); Beam ≈ 50 ft (15 m); Depth of hold ≈ 28 ft (8.5 m)
• Registered Tonnage:
• Depth at Wreck Site: 13 m / 45 ft
• Location: ~1.5 miles south of Pentwater, MI
• Coordinates: (Bow) N 43° 45.784′, W 086° 27.776′; (Stern) N 43° 45.705′, W 086° 27.849′
• Official Number: US 107846; Canadian 153113
• Original Owners: Western Navigation Co., Fort William, Ontario, Canada; previously Kinsman Transit Co., Cleveland, Ohio (1903–1926)

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Anna C. Minch was a steel-hulled bulk freighter, built for heavy cargo service on the Great Lakes. Powered by a triple-expansion steam engine, she combined robust steel construction with the common propulsion technology of early 20th-century freighters.

Description

On the lakebed, she lies in two main sections—bow and stern—resting closely enough to be visited in one dive. Depths range from 35 to 45 feet, enabling direct diver access.

History

• Operational Profile: Built in 1903 by American Ship Building (yard no. 00415); registered U.S. #107846, later Canadian #153113 after change of ownership.
• Ownership Chain: Operated by Kinsman Transit Co. (1903–1926); sold to Western Navigation Co., Fort William, Ontario, in 1926.
• Notable Incidents: Over her service life, she endured numerous accidents—including collisions, groundings, and dock strikes across Great Lakes ports (e.g., Superior, Chicago River, Lorain, Toledo, Buffalo, Straits of Mackinac, Erie, Duluth).
• Final Voyage: Laden with hardwood lumber, caught in the catastrophic Armistice Day Blizzard on November 11, 1940; broke in two and sank off Pentwater, with total loss of her 24-man crew.

Significant Incidents

• Overwhelmed by hurricane-force winds and towering waves during the Armistice Day Storm; structure failed, leading to breaking in two and sinking.

Final Disposition

• Wreck Condition: Sectioned wreck lies in two intact parts; accessible to divers and well-preserved in shallow water.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck lies within the West Michigan Underwater Preserve, a resource for site documentation. A 3D model has been created from over 2,200 high-resolution underwater photographs.

Resources & Links

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All 24 crew were lost; no individual names available in online archives. Recommend searches via local memorial records and historical databases.