Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: City of St. Joseph
• Type: Barge
• Year Built: 1890
• Builder:
• Dimensions: Length: 211.5 ft (64.45 m); Beam: 34 ft (10.36 m); Depth of hold: 15 ft (4.57 m)
• Registered Tonnage:
• Depth at Wreck Site: 10.67 m / 35 ft
• Location: Near Eagle Harbor, Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan
• Coordinates: 47° 28.176′ N, 088° 06.538′ W
• Official Number: U.S. #126627

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The City of St. Joseph was originally constructed as the sidewheel steamer City of Chicago in 1890. It was later converted into a steel barge, unpowered and repurposed for heavy freight hauling across the Great Lakes.

Description

Today, the wreck lies at a depth of approximately 35 ft (10.67 m) in Lake Superior, north of Eagle Harbor, Michigan. The hull is largely flattened and fragmented, yet several structural elements remain recognizable:

• Intact forecastle and aft decks
• A worm-gear driven windlass at the bow
• Presence of rudder post and steering quadrant aft
• Multiple winches or winch components scattered on site
• An anchor chain extending into the distance, though the anchor is buried
• Bitts on the aft deck and a hawse pipe on the forecastle deck

History

On the evening of September 21, 1942, the City of St. Joseph was being towed by the tug John Roen, alongside another barge named Transport, when a northwest gale struck off the Keweenaw Peninsula. Laden with a deck cargo of pulpwood (originating from Grand Marais, Minnesota and bound for Port Huron, Michigan), the barge suffered catastrophic failure when her rudder chains snapped, rendering her unsteerable. The towline parted, and both the St. Joseph and Transport were left adrift in storm conditions.

By dawn, both barges had run aground on a reef just outside Little Grand Marais Harbor. Surging surf breached their hulls, sealing their fate. Tragically, the captain’s wife, Katherine McLeod, was killed during the wreck, becoming the only known fatality from the incident.

Both barges were deemed total losses and were ultimately scrapped on site. Machinery and salvageable components were removed from shore in the months following the wreck.

Significant Incidents

• Cause of Loss: Failure of steering system (broken rudder chains) during a gale caused loss of control, grounding, and wreck on reef with fatal surf impacts.
• Wreck Condition: Hull flattened, decks partially intact, and equipment such as windlass and rudder components remain visible in shallow water.
• Casualties: One known fatality — the captain’s wife, Katherine McLeod.
• Salvage & Final Handling: On-site dismantling and salvage of machinery and metal began soon after stranding (1942–1943).

Final Disposition

This wreck was not discovered in the modern sense—it ran ashore visibly on the date it was lost (September 21, 1942) and was immediately documented by lifesaving and local agencies. No subsequent remote discovery is recorded.

Current Condition & Accessibility

There are no active Notices to Mariners regarding this wreck, as it lies in shallow water and no submerged hazards remain—most of the wreck has been scrapped. Nonetheless, caution is advised around the site due to sharp metal debris and exposed structural remains.

Access Type: Boat-supported dive, with launch from nearby Eagle Harbor, MI.

Entry Point: Eagle Harbor, short distance north to the wreck site.

Conditions: Typical Lake Superior caveats—water temperatures under 40°F (4–5°C), visibility around 35 ft, and frequent surface chop.

Hazards: Sharp wreckage, cold water, and possible surge exposure.

Permits & Rules: No submerged protected structure remains. General state regulations for diving apply; divers should confirm current regulations with Michigan’s underwater preserves.

Resources & Links

Crew Details: Records of individual crew members are not readily available in accessible databases. However, one fatality is confirmed—Katherine McLeod, the captain’s wife. No memorial listings or cemetery records were located in sources reviewed.

Further archival research (e.g., local newspapers, Coast Guard logs, cemetery registries, Find A Grave) may provide additional crew information and commemoration narratives.