Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

A.T. Kelly (1884)

Explore the wreck of the A.T. Kelly, a wooden steam tug lost to fire in 1885 on the St. Clair River.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: A.T. Kelly
  • Type: Wooden steam tug
  • Year Built: 1884
  • Builder: Wallaceburg, Ontario
  • Dimensions: Length 56 ft (17.1 m); Beam 14 ft (4.3 m); Depth of hold 7 ft (2.1 m)
  • Registered Tonnage: Gross Tonnage: 39 tons (approx. 35.4 metric tonnes); Net Tonnage: 26 tons (approx. 23.6 metric tonnes)
  • Location: Harsen’s Island, St. Clair River, Michigan
  • Official Number: Not available
  • Original Owners: Captain Kelly

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden steam tug

Description

The A.T. Kelly was a wooden steam-powered tugboat constructed in 1884 in Wallaceburg, Ontario. Designed for towing and general utility work along the St. Clair River, the vessel was owned and likely operated by Captain Kelly himself. At 56 feet in length, she was typical of the small, maneuverable tugs that served the busy waterways connecting Lake Huron and Lake St. Clair.

History

On the evening of November 14, 1885, while moored at a dock on Harsen’s Island in the St. Clair River, the A.T. Kelly caught fire. The blaze quickly consumed the vessel. To prevent the fire from spreading to nearby structures, the burning tug was set adrift. It drifted approximately three-quarters of a mile downstream before coming to rest on the Canadian shore, where it burned to the waterline. Fortunately, there were no casualties reported in the incident.

Significant Incidents

  • Fire while moored at dock on November 14, 1885.

Final Disposition

The A.T. Kelly was declared a total loss due to the fire. The hull was later recovered and underwent a complete rebuild, emerging as the tug T. Keddle. This practice of reconstructing vessels from salvaged hulls was common in the Great Lakes region during that era.

Current Condition & Accessibility

There is no available information indicating that the original wreck of the A.T. Kelly has been located or identified in modern times. There are no current navigational markers or advisories related to the original wreck site of the A.T. Kelly.

Resources & Links

References are being reviewed for this wreck.

The loss of the A.T. Kelly underscores the vulnerabilities of wooden steam-powered vessels to onboard fires, a common hazard in the late 19th century. The vessel’s subsequent reconstruction as the T. Keddle exemplifies the resourcefulness of maritime operations during that period.