Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Christina A. Forbes
- Type: Wooden screw propeller-driven river steamer
- Year Built: 1878
- Builder: F.W. Wheeler
- Dimensions: 73.6 ft (22.43 m) length × 15 ft (4.57 m) beam × 5 ft (1.52 m) depth
- Registered Tonnage: 51.48 GT / 41.82 NT
- Location: Near Bay City, Michigan on the Saginaw River
- Official Number: 125649
- Original Owners: William Forbes, Frank A. Smith, Michael Maher
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A small harbour and river steamer suited for freight and passenger operations along the Saginaw River and connecting Michigan ports.
Description
A single-deck wooden screw steamer powered by a single-cylinder steam engine. Designed for river service, it was compact and manoeuvrable—likely outfitted with minimal accommodations suitable for short voyages and cargo runs.
History
- Mar 1878: Enrolment at Port Huron under owner Wm Forbes
- 3 Mar 1891: Ownership transferred to Frank A. Smith, Port Huron
- 4 Feb 1892: Subsequent ownership change to Michael Maher, Port Huron
- 7 Sep 1895: Destroyed by fire while moored on the Saginaw River near Bay City, MI; burned down to the waterline
Final Disposition
The vessel burned to the water’s edge and was declared a total loss. The hull was rendered inoperable and cannot be considered a wreck site suitable for investigation or diving.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No underwater remains; the hull was likely salvaged, scrapped, or left partly submerged along the river bank.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”christina-a-forbes-1878″ title=”References & Links”]
The Christina A. Forbes served for nearly two decades as a small river steamer on the Saginaw River before succumbing to a destructive fire in 1895. Burned to the waterline, the vessel did not sink but was rendered unusable and removed from service. Today, it remains a footnote in Michigan maritime history rather than a physical wreck—highlighting the common risk of fire among small steam vessels of that era.
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
- Name: Forbes, Christina A.
- Official number: 125649
- Year built: 1878, West Bay City, Michigan
- Builder: F.W. Wheeler
- Vessel type: Wooden screw propeller-driven river steamer
- Original owner: William Forbes, Port Huron, MI
- Dimensions: 22.43 m (73.6 ft) length × 4.57 m (15 ft) beam × 1.52 m (5 ft) depth
- Tonnage: 51.48 GT / 41.82 NT
- Final location: Near Bay City, Michigan on the Saginaw River
- Loss date: 7 September 1895
- Loss cause: Fire; burnt to the water’s edge (Wikipedia, shipbuildinghistory.com, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Vessel Type
A small harbour and river steamer suited for freight and passenger operations along the Saginaw River and connecting Michigan ports.
Description
A single-deck wooden screw steamer powered by a single-cylinder steam engine. Designed for river service, it was compact and manoeuvrable—likely outfitted with minimal accommodations suitable for short voyages and cargo runs.
History & Chronology
- Mar 1878: Enrolment at Port Huron under owner Wm Forbes
- 3 Mar 1891: Ownership transferred to Frank A. Smith, Port Huron
- 4 Feb 1892: Subsequent ownership change to Michael Maher, Port Huron
- 7 Sep 1895: Destroyed by fire while moored on the Saginaw River near Bay City, MI; burned down to the waterline
Final Disposition
The vessel burned to the water’s edge and was declared a total loss. The hull was rendered inoperable and cannot be considered a wreck site suitable for investigation or diving.
Located By & Date Found
No underwater remains; the hull was likely salvaged, scrapped, or left partly submerged along the river bank.
Notmars & Advisories
No modern navigational warnings or hazard advisories; fire occurred over a century ago at a riverside dock.
Resources & Links
- List of shipwrecks 1895 – recording the fire loss on the Saginaw River (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Wikipedia)
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – details indicating Saginaw River loss without loss of life (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Board of Lake Underwriters Marine Directory & U.S. enrollment records – documented career and ownership changes
Shore Dive Information
Not applicable. Vessel was destroyed by fire at a dock; as such no diveable wreck remains.
Conclusion
The Christina A. Forbes served for nearly two decades as a small river steamer on the Saginaw River before succumbing to a destructive fire in 1895. Burned to the waterline, the vessel did not sink but was rendered unusable and removed from service. Today, it remains a footnote in Michigan maritime history rather than a physical wreck—highlighting the common risk of fire among small steam vessels of that era.
Keywords & Glossary
- Wooden screw steamer | River freight vessel | Saginaw River fire | 1895 wreck | Small steam launch | Harbour tug