H. F. Bronson – Lake Superior Tug Shipwreck

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: H. F. Bronson
• Type: Wooden screw tugboat
• Year Built: 1919
• Builder: Kingston Shipyards
• Dimensions: ~100 ft × 21 ft; ~100–150 GT
• Registered Tonnage:
• Depth at Wreck Site: 20 m / 40 ft
• Location: Thunder Bay Dump Site, Lake Superior
• Coordinates: [to be confirmed by Parks Canada survey]
• Official Number: [not located]

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The H. F. Bronson was a wooden steam tug, representative of the last generation of large wooden tugs on the Great Lakes. Measuring about 100 feet long with a beam of 21 feet, she was designed for harbor towing, barge handling, and assistance to bulk freighters. Powered by a steam plant with a single screw, the vessel was sturdy but soon outdated as steel-hulled diesel tugs replaced wooden steamers.

Description

The H. F. Bronson was a wooden steam tug, representative of the last generation of large wooden tugs on the Great Lakes. Measuring about 100 feet long with a beam of 21 feet, she was designed for harbor towing, barge handling, and assistance to bulk freighters. Powered by a steam plant with a single screw, the vessel was sturdy but soon outdated as steel-hulled diesel tugs replaced wooden steamers.

History

• 1919: Launched at Kingston, Ontario, and entered immediate service as a tug for harbor and tow operations.
• 1920s–1940s: Worked in Great Lakes harbor and barge service, likely assisting freighters in coal, grain, and ore trades.
• Post-service: Retired and scuttled as part of Thunder Bay’s official “dump site,” where obsolete wooden craft were disposed of offshore.

Significant Incidents

• Cause of Loss: Intentional scuttling during harbor cleanup.
• Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario, in designated dumping ground.
• Aftermath: Wreck remains in shallow water, degraded but archaeologically valuable.

Final Disposition

• Cause of Loss: Intentional scuttling during harbor cleanup.
• Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario, in designated dumping ground.
• Aftermath: Wreck remains in shallow water, degraded but archaeologically valuable.

Current Condition & Accessibility

• Condition: Hull partly intact; machinery remains degraded. Cold water has preserved some structure, but wood is fragile. Zebra mussel coverage likely.
• Depth: ~20–40 m, within recreational diving range.
• Access: By boat from Thunder Bay; charters and Thunder Bay NMS records available.
• Hazards: Fragile wood, sharp debris, entanglement risk.

Resources & Links

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The H. F. Bronson illustrates the transitional period of Great Lakes tugboat history, bridging the end of wooden steam construction and the rise of steel diesel tugs. Its intentional sinking at Thunder Bay forms part of the broader narrative of harbor cleanup and disposal practices, while also providing a valuable archaeological record of early 20th-century wooden tug design.