Grace Patterson US 85634

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Grace Patterson
• Type: Wooden-hulled steam screw tug/freighter later converted to steambarge
• Year Built: 1880
• Builder: J. Callister, Grand Haven, MI
• Dimensions: Approx. 111 GT
• Registered Tonnage: Approx. 111 GT
• Location: Near Two Rivers Point, WI (offshore beach)
• Official Number: 85634

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Steam Screw Tug & Lumber Steambarge

Description

The Grace Patterson was a wooden-hulled steam screw tug that was later converted into a steambarge. Built in 1880, it had a registered tonnage of approximately 111 gross tons.

History

The vessel was laden with lumber and lath, bound from Manistee to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, when it encountered severe weather. On March 15, 1882, it sprang a leak during a storm, sank into shallow water, and drifted ashore broadside to the beach north of Two Rivers, where it subsequently caught fire and was destroyed.

Significant Incidents

• The U.S. Life-Saving Station No. 17 crew rescued all five men from the rigging.
• The steam tug Leviathan, alongside other tugs, attempted to pull her off but failed before the blaze consumed the vessel.

Final Disposition

The wreck of the Grace Patterson was evaluated and deemed ineligible for the National Register due to the limited hull structure remaining above sediment. The remains were significantly burned by fire and destroyed post-stranding.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The site holds limited physical remains and low archaeological potential, as confirmed by the Wisconsin Historical Society assessment.

Resources & Links

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The Grace Patterson wreck exemplifies maritime peril on Lake Michigan: leaking into a gale, abandoned by its crew, and ultimately destroyed by fire upon stranding north of Two Rivers. Rescuers saved all aboard, but the vessel itself was a total loss.