Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: ANNIE P. DORR
• Type: Tugboat
• Year Built: 1870
• Builder: W. Crosthwaite, East Saginaw, Michigan
• Dimensions: 76 ft x 20 ft x 6 ft (23.2 m x 6.1 m x 1.8 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 44 gross tons, 22 net tons
• Location: Near Dunkirk, New York
• Official Number: U.S. Official No. 105207
• Original Owners: O.W. Cheney tug company

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden-hulled steam tug, propeller-driven

Description

The Annie P. Dorr was a small but active steam tug built for harbour and towage work, typical of the tug designs prevalent in the latter half of the 19th century on the Great Lakes. Her modest size and power made her ideal for assisting stranded or hard-to-manoeuvre vessels.

History

Constructed in 1870 in East Saginaw, Michigan, Annie P. Dorr served as part of the fleet operated by the renowned O.W. Cheney tug company, which was known for salvage and tug operations across the lower Great Lakes. She was actively involved in routine towing, salvage missions, and port work across Lake Erie and other surrounding waterways.

On November 26, 1888, she, along with the tug James Adams, sailed to Dunkirk, New York, to assist the tug Edward Maytham, which had become stranded near the harbour. However, a strong gale prevented the assisting vessels from safely entering the port. As they lingered outside the breakwaters, the Dorr began taking on water rapidly and foundered within 30 minutes. Fortunately, her crew was successfully transferred to the Adams under dangerous conditions.

Significant Incidents

• Foundered on November 26, 1888, during a gale while attempting to assist another vessel.

Final Disposition

The Annie P. Dorr sank near Dunkirk, New York. No efforts to salvage the vessel are recorded, and she is presumed to remain on the lakebed, possibly broken apart due to the storm and the shallow waters outside the harbour.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No formal wreck discovery has been reported. Presumed still lost off Dunkirk, New York.

Not marked on navigation charts. No active notices to mariners concerning the wreck. Wreck may pose a low-level hazard if remains persist near harbour approaches.

Resources & Links

References are being reviewed for this wreck.

For divers interested in historical shipwrecks, the Annie P. Dorr represents a significant piece of maritime history in the Great Lakes region, though its exact location remains uncertain.