Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: City of Tawas
- Type: Wooden-hulled schooner-barge, sloop-rigged
- Year Built: 1864
- Builder: Arnold shipyard (Joseph P. Arnold)
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: ~290 GRT
- Location: Broke ashore near St. Joseph, Michigan
- Coordinates: unknown
- Official Number: 4391
- Original Owners: Local freighter ownership
- Number of Masts: Single mast
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A schooner-barge designed to carry bulk goods (iron ore, coal, grain) and to be pushed or towed by steam-powered vessels. Reinforced for towing yet capable of minimal auxiliary sail thanks to its sloop rig.
Description
The City of Tawas was a wooden-hulled schooner-barge, primarily used for transporting bulk goods across the Great Lakes. Its design allowed it to be towed by steam vessels while also being equipped for limited sailing capabilities.
History
- 1864–1868: Enrolled in Detroit registry; initially operated under local freighter ownership.
- 1865: Re-measured to 290 GRT.
- 1867: Received major rebuild in Detroit, including rig conversion to barkentine style.
- 1870: Grounded on Colchester Shoal (Lake Erie), but refloated and continued service.
- 1874 (5 Dec): Ashore and wrecked at North Manitou Island, but again salvaged.
- 1877 (30 Oct): Final wreck—driven ashore near St. Joseph loaded with iron ore.
Significant Incidents
- Grounded on Colchester Shoal in 1870 but refloated.
- Wrecked at North Manitou Island in 1874 but salvaged.
- Final wreck on 30 October 1877 near St. Joseph, Michigan.
Final Disposition
Caught in a gale or strong currents, City of Tawas drove onto a bar off St. Joseph. The hull broke apart under wave stress and was declared a total loss. No salvage appears documented for the remains or cargo.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck location is known through documented reports but has not been archaeologically surveyed. It’s presumed that the fragmented hull lies in shallow waters along the Michigan shoreline near St. Joseph, with little intact structure remaining.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”city-of-tawas-us-4391″ title=”References & Links”]
The City of Tawas exemplifies the challenges of late 19th-century bulk ore shipping on Lake Michigan. Surviving earlier groundings, her career ended under load when she struck a shoal south of St. Joseph. Though structurally lost, she stands as a case study of the risks faced by wooden schooner-barges in shoal-laden harbours and channel approaches. The absence of casualties suggests a successful evacuation, even as the vessel itself was unrecoverable.
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: City of Tawas
- Official number: 4391
- Year built: 1864 at Vicksburg (Marysville), Michigan by Arnold shipyard (Joseph P. Arnold) (Facebook, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Type: Wooden-hulled schooner-barge, sloop-rigged (single-masted barge aux-rigged for tow)
- Tonnage: ~372 tons (old measurement), remeasured ~290 GRT in 1865
- Decks: Single deck
- Final loss date: 30 October 1877
- Location: Broke ashore near St. Joseph, Michigan in Lake Michigan
- Cargo at loss: Approximately 500 tons of iron ore
- Loss type: Driven ashore on a bar (shoal) and wrecked — hull destroyed
- Casualties: None reported
Vessel Type & Description
A schooner-barge designed to carry bulk goods (iron ore, coal, grain) and to be pushed or towed by steam-powered vessels. Reinforced for towing yet capable of minimal auxiliary sail thanks to its sloop rig.
History & Chronology
- 1864–1868: Enrolled in Detroit registry; initially operated under local freighter ownership (Facebook, Links to the Past, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- 1865: Re-measured to 290 GRT
- 1867: Received major rebuild in Detroit, including rig conversion to barkentine style
- 1870: Grounded on Colchester Shoal (Lake Erie), but refloated and continued service
- 1874 (5 Dec): Ashore and wrecked at North Manitou Island, but again salvaged
- 1877 (30 Oct): Final wreck—driven ashore near St. Joseph loaded with iron ore (Wikipedia, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Final Disposition
Caught in a gale or strong currents, City of Tawas drove onto a bar off St. Joseph. The hull broke apart under wave stress and was declared a total loss. No salvage appears documented for the remains or cargo.
Located By & Date Found
The wreck location is known through documented reports but has not been archaeologically surveyed. It’s presumed that the fragmented hull lies in shallow waters along the Michigan shoreline near St. Joseph, with little intact structure remaining.
Notmar & Advisories
No lake navigation notices specifically reference the wreck. However, that shoreline area is known for submerged bars and shoals; modern charts mark these as navigational hazards, and mariners should steer clear in low visibility.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – T‑list entry under City of Tawas, compiled from registry and newspaper documents (Links to the Past, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Facebook post (Oct 2025) referencing Builder Joseph P. Arnold confirms construction details (Facebook)
Conclusion
The City of Tawas exemplifies the challenges of late 19th-century bulk ore shipping on Lake Michigan. Surviving earlier groundings, her career ended under load when she struck a shoal south of St. Joseph. Though structurally lost, she stands as a case study of the risks faced by wooden schooner-barges in shoal-laden harbours and channel approaches. The absence of casualties suggests a successful evacuation, even as the vessel itself was unrecoverable.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary
- Keywords: City of Tawas, iron ore barge, St. Joseph wreck, shoal grounding
- Categories: Wooden schooner-barges, Lake Michigan tramping wrecks, 19th-century bulk freighters
- Glossary:
- Schooner-barge: A sailing vessel rigged as a barge and usually towed by steamer.
- Bar: A submerged sediment bank causing grounding.
- GRT (Gross Register Tonnage): Measurement of internal vessel volume.