Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: I. Watson Stephenson
- Type: Wooden steambarge
- Year Built: 1895
- Builder: F.W. Wheeler & Co., West Bay City, MI
- Dimensions: 172 ft × 35 ft × 11.9 ft (~52 m × 10.7 m × 3.6 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 639.26 GT / 501.08 NT
- Location: Stadium Yacht Basin, Cleveland, OH
- Official Number: 100597
- Original Owners: Stephenson Transportation Co., Nessen Transportation Co., Saginaw Bay Co., Boom Boiler & Welding Co.
- Number of Masts: 1
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden steambarge, one deck, equipped with cabin, dining room, and gallery atop enclosed afterspace. Steel chord and diagonal strap framing, with a steel boiler-house and electric lighting. Sister ship of Minnie E. Kelton.
Description
The I. Watson Stephenson was a wooden steambarge built for the lumber trade, featuring a single-screw propulsion system powered by a compound engine. It was designed to carry approximately 725,000 board feet of lumber and was equipped with electric lighting.
History
Launched on May 11, 1895, the vessel served in the lumber trade on Lakes Michigan and Superior until 1898. It underwent several ownership changes and rebuilds throughout its service life, including significant updates to its boiler and steam plant in 1911 and 1920. The vessel was ultimately designated as abandoned in 1935 and scuttled in July of that year to form a breakwater in Cleveland.
Significant Incidents
- 23 Aug 1898: Grounded and struck by towbarge Advance at Sturgeon Bay, WI.
Final Disposition
The I. Watson Stephenson was deliberately scuttled in mid-July 1935 as part of the breakwater at Stadium Yacht Basin. The hulk was burned on March 31, 1936, and subsequently built over as dock infrastructure.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The site is likely buried or built upon by modern docking infrastructure, making typical underwater survey implausible. No ROV or archaeological documentation is known, and the site functions more as historical maritime reuse than a dive site.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”i-watson-stephenson-us-100597″ title=”References & Links”]
The I. Watson Stephenson represents a significant example of late-19th-century steambarges, reflecting the lifecycle of industrial vessels and their adaptive reuse in maritime infrastructure.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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