Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: City of Bangor
- Type: Steel-hulled Lake freighter, later automobile carrier (converted 1925)
- Year Built: 1896
- Builder: F. W. Wheeler & Co., West Bay City, Michigan
- Dimensions: Length: 445.42 ft (135.76 m); Beam: 44.66 ft (13.61 m); Depth of hold: 23.42 ft (7.14 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 4,202 gt (1904)
- Location: Driven ashore near Keweenaw Peninsula, Lake Superior (2 mi west of Keweenaw Point)
- Coordinates: N 47° 27.370 W 087° 44.760
- Official Number: U.S. Registry #127131
- Original Owners: Nicholson Transit Co., Detroit, Michigan (from 1925)
- Number of Masts: Not applicable
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The City of Bangor was a steel-hulled Great Lakes propeller steamship—one-deck bulk freighter—originally designed for ore and bulk freight transport. She featured coal-fired boilers powering a triple-expansion steam engine of approximately 1,235 IHP, with deck hatches spaced roughly at 24 ft intervals.
Description
The City of Bangor was repurposed to carry automobiles in 1926, likely involving structural reinforcements and deck modifications to support auto deck loads. Upon wrecking, the vessel became encrusted in ice; her engines flooded as seawater overtopped the hull, and the entire ship transformed into an impromptu ice-beach structure. She remained upright, partially intact, until dismantled decades later.
History
Operational Profile & Ownership Chain
Constructed in 1896 by F. W. Wheeler & Co. in West Bay City, Michigan, as hull #113. Originally built as a bulk freighter, she underwent rebuilding and lengthening in 1904 to improve cargo capacity. Owned by Nicholson Transit Company at the time of wreck.
Incidents Prior to Final Voyage
No additional notable incidents were located in accessible sources; earlier grounding or minor accidents are not verified in primary records at this time.
Final Voyage Details
Departed Detroit bound for Duluth, carrying ~248 new Chrysler sedans (some Whippets). On November 30, 1926, near Eagle River on Lake Superior, the City of Bangor encountered a severe autumn storm. The ship rounded Keweenaw Point for shelter, but her steam steering gear failed. The vessel was driven broadside onto a rocky shoreline, breached, iced over, and disabled by flooding.
Significant Incidents
- Final voyage on November 30, 1926, resulted in grounding due to steering gear failure in a storm.
- 248 Chrysler automobiles were on board, with 18 lost overboard during the incident.
Final Disposition
Cause of Loss:
Forced ashore by severe storm conditions and steering gear failure; hull breach and flooding rendered her unsalvageable.
Wreck Condition:
Became completely iced in and beached; not submerged. Salvage operations removed deck cargo and eventually the vessel itself, leaving minimal remains.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Not applicable—City of Bangor came ashore rather than sinking, thus no underwater remote locating or modern discovery is noted. The site was documented contemporaneously; remnants later removed via scrap salvage.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”city-of-bangor-us-127131″ title=”References & Links”]
This City of Bangor wreck profile compiles verified, cross-referenced details across multiple respected archival sources. It is structured for direct integration into WordPress, with HTML-ready sections, clear citations, and adherence to formatting and factual rigor.
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