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.
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: Constance
- Official Number: 3166
- Year built: 1881, Buffalo, New York
- Type: Wooden screw tug (towboat)
- Dimensions: 54 ft × 16 ft × 8 ft (16.5 × 4.9 × 2.4 m); 45.66 GRT / 22.83 NRT
- Decks: Single
- Final loss date: 24 May 1901
- Location: Menominee River, Menominee, Michigan (Lake Michigan watershed)
- Loss type: Collision — struck by steamer C. W. Moore and sank
- Casualties: Crew escaped; no fatalities recorded
Vessel Type & Description
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.
History & Service
- 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.
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)
Wreck & Discovery Status
- 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.
Notmar & Navigational Advisories
No historical or current Notices to Mariners list Constance. However, the Menominee River remains a busy working harbor with submerged obstacles. Modern operators should consult current charts and maintain slow, cautious transit when near wreck zones.
Resources & Links
- Soundings – Marsh Historical Collection: May 31, 1901 report on the sinking event and tug Constance details
Conclusion
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.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary
- Keywords: Constance tug, Menominee River wreck, collision with C. W. Moore, shallow water tug wreck
- Categories: Wooden screw tugs, early 20th-century Great Lakes harbor incidents, small-craft wrecks
- Glossary:
- Screw tug: Vessel propelled by a single propeller instead of paddle-wheel.
- GRT/NRT: Gross and Net Registered Tonnage—measurements of internal volume.
- Cut in two: Struck amidships, splitting the hull into separate fore & aft sections.