Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: HENRY HOWARD
- Type: Wooden propeller-driven steambarge
- Year Built: 1867
- Builder: Fitzgerald & Stewart, Port Huron, Michigan
- Dimensions: Length: 137 ft (41.8 m); Beam: 26 ft (7.9 m); Depth of hold: 10 ft (3.0 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 261 tons
- Location: Harsen's Island, Lake St. Clair
- Official Number: 11610
- Original Owners: J. Miner (wife of the captain) & B. Hoose
- Number of Masts: 1
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The HENRY HOWARD was a wooden steambarge, a common type of bulk freight carrier on the Great Lakes during the 19th century.
Steambarges were built to:
- Carry bulk cargo – lumber, coal, or grain
- Tow multiple barges to increase capacity
- Operate in both major shipping lanes and smaller waterways
By the 1880s, steambarges were essential to Great Lakes commerce, especially for the timber and coal industries.
Description
The HENRY HOWARD had a 17-year career, ultimately being destroyed by fire in 1884 while towing a barge near the mouth of the St. Clair River.
History
The HENRY HOWARD was built in Port Huron, Michigan, by Fitzgerald & Stewart for bulk cargo transport.
Key Events in the Vessel’s History:
- 1867: Built in Port Huron, Michigan, by Fitzgerald & Stewart for bulk cargo transport.
- September 10, 1884: Caught fire near Harsen’s Island, Lake St. Clair and burned to a total loss.
Significant Incidents
The Disaster
- The vessel was bound for St. Ignace, towing the barge GEORGE WORTHINGTON.
- While in transit, a fire broke out on board, quickly spreading through the wooden hull.
- To prevent sinking or loss of life, the crew beached the vessel on Harsen’s Island.
- The fire burned the ship to a total loss, leaving only wreckage behind.
- No lives were lost, and the barge GEORGE WORTHINGTON was saved.
After 17 years of service, the HENRY HOWARD was no longer salvageable and was abandoned on the island.
Final Disposition
The HENRY HOWARD was lost on September 10, 1884, when it caught fire near the mouth of the St. Clair River and was beached at Harsen’s Island, where it burned out completely.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Nil return. There are no confirmed reports of the HENRY HOWARD‘s wreck remains being discovered or documented near Harsen’s Island, Lake St. Clair.
If any remnants exist, they may be buried under river sediment or eroded by currents.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”henry-howard-us-11610″ title=”References & Links”]
The HENRY HOWARD was a reliable bulk freight steambarge, ultimately destroyed by fire while towing a barge near Harsen’s Island in 1884. Its rapid loss highlights the vulnerability of wooden steamships to fire, a common cause of shipwrecks in the 19th century.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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