Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Tacoma
- Type: Wooden propeller steam tug
- Year Built: 1894
- Builder: E.W. Heath, Benton Harbor, MI
- Dimensions: 73.4 ft (22.37 m) length; 18 ft (5.49 m) beam; 8–9 ft (2.44–2.74 m) depth
- Registered Tonnage: 76 gross tons; 39 net tons
- Depth at Wreck Site: 10.6 m / 35 ft
- Location: Chicago Harbor, near Clark Shoal, off 68th Street
- Coordinates: 41° 46.340′ N, 087° 31.326′ W
- Official Number: 145673
- Original Owners: Fitzsimmons & Connell Dredge and Dock Co., Chicago
- Number of Masts: None
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Vessel Type
Wooden propeller steam tug, designed for towing and dredging operations.
Description
Description
The Tacoma was a wooden-hulled propeller steam tug, powered by a double expansion steam engine driving a single screw. She carried a Scotch boiler, rudder with quadrant, and heavy towing bitts for dredging and harbor work. Measuring just over 73 ft, she was considered small but robust, intended for towing scows and dredging equipment in and around Chicago Harbor and the nearshore Lake Michigan coast.
History
History
Built in 1894 by E.W. Heath at Benton Harbor, MI, the Tacoma joined the fleet of Fitzsimmons and Connell Dock & Dredge Co. of Chicago. For 35 years she served as a dredge tug and harbor assistant. During her career she became the oldest active tug in Chicago by 1929, outlasting many contemporaries as steel replaced wood in harbor tug construction.
She towed scows, assisted dredging operations, and performed general harbor work. Despite her age, she remained in constant use and was well known among Chicago’s maritime community.
Significant Incidents
Significant Incidents
- On November 4, 1929, the Tacoma sprang a serious leak while towing two scows from Chicago to South Chicago, leading to her sinking.
- All six crew members were rescued by a Jackson Park Coast Guard surf boat.
Final Disposition
Final Disposition
On November 4, 1929, the Tacoma was towing two scows from Chicago to South Chicago, three-quarters of a mile south of the 68th Street crib, when she sprang a serious leak. The six-man crew released the towing cable and scrambled aboard one of the scows before the tug went under. They were later rescued by a Jackson Park Coast Guard surf boat. The tug sank in about 30 ft of water near Clark Shoal, 2.66 miles from Calumet Harbor Light at a bearing of 343°.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck became known locally soon after sinking and has remained a diver destination. Documented in detail by UASC divers, including a photogrammetric 3D model (2025 season). The wreck is shallow and charted, but may appear on local navigation charts. The starboard side has collapsed, while the port side is partially intact. Machinery is preserved, including the double expansion steam engine, Scotch boiler, propeller and shaft, rudder and quadrant, coal scuttles, towing bitts, and broken piping.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”tacoma-us-145673″ title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]
Closing Summary
As a diver, remember to respect the site and its history. Leave only bubbles, take only memories, and consider removing any garbage to leave the site better than you found it.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
Description
The Tacoma was a wooden-hulled propeller steam tug, powered by a double expansion steam engine driving a single screw. She carried a Scotch boiler, rudder with quadrant, and heavy towing bitts for dredging and harbor work. Measuring just over 73 ft, she was considered small but robust, intended for towing scows and dredging equipment in and around Chicago Harbor and the nearshore Lake Michigan coast.History
Built in 1894 by E.W. Heath at Benton Harbor, MI, the Tacoma joined the fleet of Fitzsimmons and Connell Dock & Dredge Co. of Chicago. For 35 years she served as a dredge tug and harbor assistant. During her career she became the oldest active tug in Chicago by 1929, outlasting many contemporaries as steel replaced wood in harbor tug construction. She towed scows, assisted dredging operations, and performed general harbor work. Despite her age, she remained in constant use and was well known among Chicago’s maritime community.Final Dispositions
On November 4, 1929, the Tacoma was towing two scows from Chicago to South Chicago, three-quarters of a mile south of the 68th Street crib, when she sprang a serious leak. The six-man crew released the towing cable and scrambled aboard one of the scows before the tug went under. They were later rescued by a Jackson Park Coast Guard surf boat. The tug sank in about 30 ft of water near Clark Shoal, 2.66 miles from Calumet Harbor Light at a bearing of 343°.Located By & Date Found
The wreck became known locally soon after sinking and has remained a diver destination. Documented in detail by UASC divers, including a photogrammetric 3D model (2025 season).Notmars & Advisories
None currently; wreck is shallow and charted, but may appear on local navigation charts.Dive Information
Access: Boat dive Entry Point: Chicago small-craft harbors Conditions: Typical Lake Michigan nearshore (limited visibility, surge possible) Depth Range: 30–35 ft (9–10.6 m) Emergency Contacts: USCG Sector Lake Michigan (Chicago); local EMS Permits: Not required Dive Support: Chicago-area dive charters and clubs (UASC, MAST)Crew & Casualty Memorials
All six crew survived. Names not listed in available records. Further research in Chicago maritime employment logs may reveal identities.Documented Statements & Extracts
“The tugboat Tacoma was built in 1894 at Benton Harbor, Michigan. … On November 4, 1929, the Tacoma … sprang a large leak. The crew of six barely had time to unleash the towing cable and climb aboard one of the scows before the tug went down.” — Henry Schwenk, UASC Report
Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails
Official Number: 145673. U.S. enrollment records confirm wooden propeller tug, 76 gross tons. No surviving insurance data located.Site Documentation & Imaging
Most intact tugwreck in Chicago area. Starboard side collapsed, port side partially intact. Machinery preserved: double expansion steam engine, Scotch boiler, propeller and shaft, rudder and quadrant, coal scuttles, towing bitts, broken piping. A toppled steam-driven winch lies forward of the boiler. Documented in 3D model using over 1,100 high-resolution photographs by Andrew Goodman in 2025.Image Gallery
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Ships.org – Tacoma
- Underwater Archaeological Society of Chicago (UASC)
- 3DShipwrecks.org – Tacoma
- Tacoma 3D Model on Sketchfab
- David Swayze, Great Lakes Shipwreck File
- Great Lakes Maritime Database (GLMD)
References
- Henry Schwenk, UASC Report on Tacoma
- Great Lakes Ships.org – Tacoma
- 3DShipwrecks.org – Tacoma