Site Description
- Propeller
- 125ft 41m Lenghts
- 15ffw 5m Depths
- Big Tub Harbour
- Tobermory, Lake Huron
History
The CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS was a propeller ship that was built in 1879 by Duncan Robertson in Grand Haven, Michigan. Its official number was 125743. The ship had dimensions of 125.6 feet in length, 26.4 feet in beam, and 9.3 feet in depth. It had a gross tonnage of 399 and a net tonnage of 300. The hull was made of wood, and it had two decks.
The CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS was initially owned by Hannah, Lay & Co. of Traverse City, Michigan. It was used for passenger and package freight transportation. The ship was powered by a single high-pressure steam engine with one cylinder and a screw propulsion system. The engine, with dimensions of 30 x 30 inches, produced 350 horsepower at 96 revolutions per minute. The ship also had a 7′ 10/12″ x 161″ firebox boiler.
Throughout its history, the CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS changed owners several times. It operated on various routes, including Traverse City to St. Ignace, Sault Ste. Marie to Marquette, and St. Joseph to Chicago. The ship experienced incidents such as running aground on Waugoshance reef in 1890 and running ashore on Mackinac Island in 1897.
In 1904, the ship underwent significant changes, including the replacement of its engine with a low-pressure one and the installation of a new boiler. In May 1907, the CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS was sold to Gillies & Rutherford of Tobermory, Ontario, Canada.
Unfortunately, on October 29, 1907, the CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS was destroyed by fire while docked in Tobermory. The cause of the fire was not known, but the crew members managed to escape, and no lives were lost. The ship drifted free and sank in Big Tub Harbor. The wreck of the CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS is now a popular diving site.
