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 Powered by a steam plant with a single screw, the vessel was sturdy but soon outdated as steel-hulled diesel tugs replaced wooden steamers.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 Powered by a steam plant with a single screw, the vessel was sturdy but soon outdated as steel-hulled diesel tugs replaced wooden steamers.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
[shotline_reference_links slug=”h-f-bronson” title=”References & Links”]
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.
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
Official Number: [not located]
Type: Wooden screw tugboat
Built: 1919, Kingston, Ontario (Kingston Shipyards)
Dimensions: ~100 ft × 21 ft; ~100–150 GT
Propulsion: Steam-powered, single screw
Registry Port: Kingston, Ontario
Date Lost: Mid-20th century (exact year TBD)
Loss Location: Thunder Bay Dump Site, Lake Superior
Coordinates: [to be confirmed by Parks Canada survey]
Depth: ~20–40 m
Crew & Casualties: None – intentional disposal
Vessel 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 & Final Service
- 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.
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.
Significance
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.
Resources & Links
- Parks Canada – Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary records
- Kingston Shipyard archives
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – Tugboat section
- Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal historical coverage
Tags & Categories
Tags: H. F. Bronson, Thunder Bay dump site, wooden tugboat, Kingston-built vessels, scuttled wrecks
Categories: Great Lakes Tugs, Intentional Sinkings, Thunder Bay Wrecks, Early 20th-Century Wooden Vessels