Glengarry (Argyle) C 90537

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Glengarry (formerly Argyle)
• Type: Propeller (Steam Barge)
• Year Built: 1872
• Builder: J. Shickluna
• Dimensions: Length: 135 ft (41.1 m); Beam: Original width increased by 3 feet during rebuild; Depth: Reduced by 1 foot during rebuild
• Registered Tonnage: 466 tons
• Depth at Wreck Site: 21 m / 70 ft
• Location: Amherst Island Graveyard, Lake Ontario
• Coordinates: N 44° 08.558', W 76° 38.027'
• Official Number: C 90537
• Original Owners: Montreal Transportation Co.
• Number of Masts: Three masts added during 1893 rebuild

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Type: The Argyle, later known as Glengarry, was a steam-powered propeller vessel initially built as a passenger and package freight steamer. After its significant rebuild, it was converted into a steam barge, adapting to the demands of the Great Lakes shipping industry.

Description

HISTORY: The Argyle was constructed in 1872 at St. Catharines by J. Shickluna, originally designed to serve as a passenger and package freight steamer. Shortly after its launch, it encountered difficulties, going ashore on Grenadier Island in the St. Lawrence River in August 1872. Despite this setback, the vessel joined the “Merchant’s Line” and operated between Montreal and Chicago from 1873 to 1880.

Over the years, the Argyle changed ownership several times and suffered various incidents, including a significant mishap in September 1877 when it hit a pier at Port Burwell, Ontario, causing it to sink. However, the vessel was raised, and its journey continued. In May 1884, it wrecked at Michipicoten on Lake Superior while carrying supplies for Canadian Pacific Railway construction crews. The ship was scuttled to protect the hull but was later salvaged and laid up at Collingwood.

In 1885, the vessel was purchased by Rorie McLennan of Prince Arthur’s Landing and subsequently acquired by the Montreal Transportation Co. in September of that year. The Argyle was rebuilt as a steam barge at the company’s Kingston yard, with the reconstruction completed in April 1886. This rebuild involved significant modifications, including lengthening the ship by 35 feet, widening it by 3 feet, and reinforcing the hull to make it suitable for service on the upper lakes.

Significant Incidents

Significant Incidents:

• August 1872: Went ashore on Grenadier Island.
• September 1877: Hit a pier at Port Burwell, Ontario, and sank; later raised.
• May 1884: Wrecked at Michipicoten on Lake Superior.
• August 1888: Collided with the American paddle steamer Sylvan Stream.
• 1898: Collision with the American dredge Clinton.
• 1903: Sinking incident.
• August 1909: Struck a pier of Montreal’s Victoria Bridge and sank.
• 1915: Collision with the canaller J.H. Plummer.

Final Disposition

FINAL DISPOSITION: The vessel, after decades of service and multiple rebuilds, was converted into a barge and eventually abandoned in 1920. It was laid to rest in the Amherst Island Graveyard, Lake Ontario, where it remains submerged at a depth of 70 feet (21 meters).

Current Condition & Accessibility

CURRENT CONDITION & ACCESSIBILITY:

• Accessibility: The site is accessible to divers, with the wreck lying at a depth of 70 feet (21 meters). It is part of the Amherst Island Graveyard, a known site for historical shipwrecks.
• Condition: The wreck is submerged in Lake Ontario, with its structure largely intact due to the cold, freshwater environment. The modifications and rebuilds over its lifetime mean the vessel’s structure may show different layers of historical shipbuilding techniques.

Resources & Links

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ANALYSIS: The Argyle, later known as Glengarry, represents a vessel that adapted to the changing demands of the Great Lakes shipping industry. Its multiple rebuilds and conversions from a passenger steamer to a steam barge highlight the vessel’s resilience and the evolving nature of maritime commerce during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The vessel’s final resting place in the Amherst Island Graveyard serves as a testament to the challenges faced by ships navigating the Great Lakes, and the wreck remains a point of interest for divers and historians alike.