Other Names
- E.K. COLLINS 1854 Built on the hull of
The ARK was a barge that was built in 1853 by John Bushnell in Newport, Michigan. It was originally constructed as a sidewheel passenger steamer named E.K. COLLINS. However, after the steamer E.K. COLLINS burned, its hull was used to build the ARK.
The ARK had dimensions of 151 feet in length, 32 feet in width, and 8 feet in depth, with a gross tonnage of 268 tons. It was made of wood.
On October 25, 1866, while downbound from Saginaw, the ARK disappeared into a storm after being lost from the tow of a tug. There was speculation about its whereabouts until identifiable wreckage started washing ashore about 100 miles north of Goderich, Ontario. It was determined that the ARK had foundered in Lake Huron. The storm resulted in the loss of six lives.
The ARK was carrying a light load at the time of the incident. Its three towmates, the barges ELLIOTT, DETROIT, and ONTARIO, all survived. The master of the ARK at the time was Captain Buzzard.
The history of the vessel includes various changes in its rig and ownership. It was rebuilt as a barge in 1857 and went through several ownership changes over the years. The ARK’s final location was north of Goderich, Ontario, where its wreckage was discovered in late November 1866.
The ARK’s previous name, E.K. COLLINS, was a steamer that had burned in the Detroit River in 1854, resulting in the loss of ten passengers and thirteen crew members. The hull of the E.K. COLLINS was later used to construct the ARK.
