Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Hiram R. Dixon US 107600

Explore the wreck of the Hiram R. Dixon, a wooden propeller coaster that met its fiery end in 1903 on Lake Superior.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Hiram R. Dixon
  • Type: Wooden propeller-driven passenger & package freight coaster
  • Year Built: 1883
  • Builder: Mystic Marine Railway & Machine Co.
  • Dimensions: 147 × 21 × 9 ft; Beam; Depth of hold
  • Registered Tonnage: 483 GRT
  • Location: Quebec Harbour, Michipicoten Island
  • Official Number: 107600
  • Original Owners: Booth & Co., Soo (Canada)

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden Propeller Coaster

Description

The Hiram R. Dixon was a wooden propeller-driven passenger and package freight coaster built in 1883. It served as a coastal package-freight steamer, facilitating the movement of goods and passengers along the north shore of Lake Superior.

History

Owned by Booth & Co., the vessel was part of J.R. Booth’s Lake Superior fleet, which connected Duluth–Soo with northern Ontario ports. Notably, the vessel was lengthened by 30 feet in Chicago in 1892 and sold to the Canadian registry in 1901.

Significant Incidents

  • The Hiram R. Dixon caught fire—likely originating from an overheated boiler on deck—and quickly burned down to the waterline. The vessel was a total loss. Her documents were surrendered shortly afterward in December 1903.

Final Disposition

The vessel was completely destroyed by fire on August 18, 1903, in Quebec Harbour, Michipicoten Island, Lake Superior. There were no reported casualties.

Current Condition & Accessibility

As a confirmed wreck, the Hiram R. Dixon remains submerged in Lake Superior, with no current accessibility details available.

Resources & Links

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The Hiram R. Dixon served as a vital link between shoreside industries and hinterland camps across Lake Superior. After two decades of service, she met her fiery end in August 1903 at Quebec Harbour. Her complete loss, with no casualties, reflects the risks of steam-era vessels serving remote harbours under rugged conditions.

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.

Wooden Propeller Coaster

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Built: 1883 at Mystic, Connecticut (Mystic Marine Railway & Machine Co.), Official No. 107600
  • Type: Wooden propeller-driven passenger & package freight coaster
  • Specifications: 147 × 21 × 9 ft; 483 GRT
  • Owner (at loss): Booth & Co., Soo (Canada), originally part of J.R. Booth’s Lake Superior fleet (GitLab, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • Final Voyage & Loss: Burned and destroyed on August 18, 1903, in Quebec Harbour, Michipicoten Island, Lake Superior (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • Cargo at time of incident: Camp supplies (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • Casualties: None reported (Uplink)

Incident & Final Disposition

  • The Hiram R. Dixon caught fire—likely originating from an overheated boiler on deck—and quickly burned down to the waterline. The vessel was a total loss. Her documents were surrendered shortly afterward in December 1903 (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Operational History & Role

  • Functioned as a coastal package-freight steamer, servicing logging camps and remote fishery outposts along Lake Superior’s north shore.
  • Owned by Booth & Co., affiliated with charcoal baron J.R. Booth’s fleet that facilitated cargo and passenger movement between Duluth–Soo and northern Ontario ports (GitLab, Wikipedia).
  • Notably, the vessel was lengthened by 30 ft in Chicago in 1892 and sold to the Canadian registry in 1901 (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Research Gaps & Recommendations

  • Exact cause of fire: Overheated boiler suspected; fire department or port logs may clarify.
  • Voyage context: Booth & Co. internal shipping logs or Collingwood drydock documents (noted repair visit before 1903) may outline schedule and assignments (Uplink).
  • Crew & passenger data: Likely passenger logbooks or company manifests available in Booth shipping archives or BGSU records.
  • Insurance/valuation records: Maritime underwriter ledgers could contain claimed loss of ~$X.

Conclusion

The Hiram R. Dixon served as a vital link between shoreside industries and hinterland camps across Lake Superior. After two decades of service, she met her fiery end in August 1903 at Quebec Harbour. Her complete loss, with no casualties, reflects the risks of steam-era vessels serving remote harbours under rugged conditions. As a Booth-owned vessel, her demise also marks an important moment in the fleet history of Canada’s late 19th–early 20th-century maritime enterprises.

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