Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Fashion
- Type: wooden sidewheel steamer
- Year Built: 1847
- Builder: Algonac, Michigan
- Dimensions: 160 ft (48.77 m) X 25 ft (7.62 m); Depth: 8.5 ft (2.59 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 324 32/95 tons
- Location: Off Bayfield, Ontario
- Original Owners: William Caverly and Joseph Raymond, Detroit
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A wooden sidewheel steamer, Fashion was built as a single-decked passenger and freight vessel for regional service on the lower Great Lakes. She operated extensively in cross-border trade and passenger transport from the late 1840s through the mid-1850s.
Description
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: 1
- Propulsion: Sidewheel (paddle steamer)
- Length: 160 ft (48.77 m)
- Beam: 25 ft (7.62 m)
- Depth: 8.5 ft (2.59 m)
- Tonnage (Old Style): 324 32/95 tons
Her powerplant was significant enough to be repurposed into several subsequent vessels, indicating durable machinery of the period.
History
- 1847, Sep 13: First enrolled at Detroit, Michigan; began operating between Sandusky, OH and Port Huron, MI.
- 1847, Nov 3: Broke a shaft while towing another vessel.
- 1848: Operated out of Buffalo, NY, including the Merchants & Millers Line. Sunk after collision with wreck of COLUMBUS at Dunkirk, NY.
- 1849: Collided with schooner ATLAS on Lake Erie.
- 1850–1852: Ran regular routes between Buffalo, Sandusky, and Toledo. Chartered seasonally.
- 1853: Repeated mechanical failures and lightning damage. Engine shaft failure and repairs common.
- 1854: Numerous incidents including running aground, mechanical failures, and sinking in the St. Clair River after collision with BUFFALO. Raised and repaired by year’s end.
- 1855–1856: Operated under ownership of William Caverly and Joseph Raymond, Detroit.
- 1856, Nov: Went ashore off Bayfield, Ontario, Lake Huron, and was ultimately abandoned.
Significant Incidents
- 1847: Broke a shaft while towing another vessel.
- 1848: Sunk after collision with wreck of COLUMBUS at Dunkirk, NY.
- 1849: Collided with schooner ATLAS on Lake Erie.
- 1853: Repeated mechanical failures and lightning damage.
- 1854: Sinking in the St. Clair River after collision with BUFFALO.
Final Disposition
The vessel was considered a total loss after going ashore in Lake Huron and subsequently abandoned. However, her machinery—especially the engine—was salvaged and reused in at least four later vessels: CANADIAN (1853), DOVE (1868), MILTON D. WARD (1870), and WATER WITCH.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No record of modern archaeological discovery or formal dive surveys exists. The presumed wreck site remains undocumented.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”fashion-1847″ title=”References & Links”]
The Fashion (1847) is emblematic of early Great Lakes steamboats—frequently repaired, reused, and repurposed. Her final abandonment off Bayfield concluded nearly a decade of service marked by mechanical unreliability and multiple collisions. Though her hull was lost, the ship’s engine lived on, marking her as a transitional vessel in steam propulsion history on the lakes.
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: Fashion
- Year Built: 1847
- Place Built: Algonac, Michigan
- Final Location: Off Bayfield, Ontario
- Lake: Huron
- Date Lost: November 1856
- Cause: Went ashore and was abandoned
Vessel Type
A wooden sidewheel steamer, Fashion was built as a single-decked passenger and freight vessel for regional service on the lower Great Lakes. She operated extensively in cross-border trade and passenger transport from the late 1840s through the mid-1850s.
Description
- Hull Material: Wood
- Decks: 1
- Propulsion: Sidewheel (paddle steamer)
- Length: 160 ft (48.77 m)
- Beam: 25 ft (7.62 m)
- Depth: 8.5 ft (2.59 m)
- Tonnage (Old Style): 324 32/95 tons
Her powerplant was significant enough to be repurposed into several subsequent vessels, indicating durable machinery of the period.
History
- 1847, Sep 13: First enrolled at Detroit, Michigan; began operating between Sandusky, OH and Port Huron, MI.
- 1847, Nov 3: Broke a shaft while towing another vessel.
- 1848: Operated out of Buffalo, NY, including the Merchants & Millers Line. Sunk after collision with wreck of COLUMBUS at Dunkirk, NY.
- 1849: Collided with schooner ATLAS on Lake Erie.
- 1850–1852: Ran regular routes between Buffalo, Sandusky, and Toledo. Chartered seasonally.
- 1853: Repeated mechanical failures and lightning damage. Engine shaft failure and repairs common.
- 1854: Numerous incidents including running aground, mechanical failures, and sinking in the St. Clair River after collision with BUFFALO. Raised and repaired by year’s end.
- 1855–1856: Operated under ownership of William Caverly and Joseph Raymond, Detroit.
- 1856, Nov: Went ashore off Bayfield, Ontario, Lake Huron, and was ultimately abandoned.
Final Disposition
The vessel was considered a total loss after going ashore in Lake Huron and subsequently abandoned. However, her machinery—especially the engine—was salvaged and reused in at least four later vessels: CANADIAN (1853), DOVE (1868), MILTON D. WARD (1870), and WATER WITCH.
Located By & Date Found
No record of modern archaeological discovery or formal dive surveys exists. The presumed wreck site remains undocumented.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- C. Patrick Labadie Collection
- Edward J. Dowling Collection, University of Detroit – Mercy
- Donald V. Baut archive
- John E. Poole notes, Bowling Green State University
- Steamboat Era in the Muskokas by Richard Tatley
- Lytle List
Conclusion
The Fashion (1847) is emblematic of early Great Lakes steamboats—frequently repaired, reused, and repurposed. Her final abandonment off Bayfield concluded nearly a decade of service marked by mechanical unreliability and multiple collisions. Though her hull was lost, the ship’s engine lived on, marking her as a transitional vessel in steam propulsion history on the lakes.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
Sidewheel steamer, Lake Huron, Algonac shipbuilding, paddle steamer, 1840s steamers, maritime collisions, machinery reuse, early passenger trade, U.S.-Canada ferry service.
fashion-1847 1856-11-14 12:52:00