Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Constance
- Type: Wooden screw tug (towboat)
- Year Built: 1881
- Builder: Buffalo, New York
- Dimensions: 54 ft × 16 ft × 8 ft (16.5 × 4.9 × 2.4 m); 45.66 GRT / 22.83 NRT
- Registered Tonnage: 45.66 GRT / 22.83 NRT
- Location: Menominee River, Menominee, Michigan
- Official Number: 3166
- Original Owners: Local ownership based out of Menominee, Michigan
- Number of Masts: Single deck
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
As a small wooden-hulled tug powered by a single screw propeller, Constance served in harbour towing and lightering operations. Her modest size allowed tight maneuvering in “river-shallow” harbour channels like the Menominee River.
Description
Constance was a wooden screw tug built in 1881, primarily used for towing and lightering operations in harbors. The vessel’s design allowed it to navigate shallow waters effectively.
History
- 1885: Registered at Apalachicola, Florida (likely subsequent to Buffalo).
- 1901: Re-registered as operating on the Great Lakes, based out of Menominee, Michigan, under local ownership.
Significant Incidents
- Collision: On 24 May 1901, Constance collided with the steamer C. W. Moore, resulting in her sinking.
Final Disposition
On 24 May 1901, while maneuvering in the Menominee River harbour, Constance collided with the steamer C. W. Moore. She was cut amidships, split, and rapidly sank. The crew escaped without injury, and her bow and stern sections settled in the riverbed. Her official status post-accident remains “sunk.”
(Source: Soundings – Marsh Historical Collection: “The fishing tug Constance was cut in two and sunk in collision with the steamer C. W. Moore in the river near Menominee, Mich. The crew escaped.”) (marshcollection.org, usdeadlyevents.com)
Current Condition & Accessibility
- The wreck sits in the Menominee River channel; depths are shallow enough to be accessible by small craft.
- No professional archaeological dives appear to have been conducted. Locals and recreational divers may encounter scattered wreck fragments.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”constance-us-3166″ title=”References & Links”]
Constance was a small harbor tug with a 20-year service life. In May 1901, under berthing conditions in the Menominee River, she was rammed by a larger steamer and sunk. No lives were lost, and her remains remain submerged in shallow water—potentially of interest to heritage divers or local maritime historians.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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