Other Names #
- MENTOR U91378
- Dredge
- 120ft 40m Lengths
- 15ffw 5m Depths
- Detour, Lake Superior
- 45º 59.699’ North
83º 53.911’ West
History #
The SUPERIOR was originally built in 1881 at Fort Howard, Wisconsin, by Soren Anderson as the scow sloop MENTOR with an official number of 91378. It was a flat-bottomed sailing vessel with a single mast and sail. The vessel’s dimensions were 118 feet in length, 26 feet in beam, 9 feet in hull depth, and it had a gross tonnage of 230 tons. In 1888, it was converted to a steamer, and its tonnage was increased to 305 tons.
In 1916, the vessel was deemed unfit for service and underwent a major rebuild at Marine City, Michigan, by Sidney McLouth. During this rebuild, it was converted into a sand dredge and renamed SUPERIOR. The vessel received a new official number of 214461 and had new dimensions of 138 feet in length, 30.5 feet in beam, 8 feet in hull depth, with a gross tonnage of 327 tons.
The wreck of the SUPERIOR now lies just south of the entrance to DeTour harbor. Due to low water levels, much of the bottom hull structure is currently above water, but the sides of the hull and upper cabin structure were either destroyed by fire when the vessel burned in 1929 or lost through salvage, pilfering, or wave action over the years since the vessel’s loss.
The wreck is located in shallow waters, with depths ranging from 0 to 15 feet. Only the bottom hull structure and a few small artifacts remain, and a small winch can be found in deeper water near the entrance to DeTour harbor. The SUPERIOR is of historical significance, as it represents the remains of a vessel that had undergone significant transformations during its lifetime.
