Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: SMITH, J.A.
- Type: Scow barge
- Year Built: 1871
- Builder: T. Arnold
- Dimensions: 138.3 ft (42.1 m); Beam 26.4 ft (8 m); Depth of hold 9.4 ft (2.9 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 255 gross tons
- Location: Station Point, Straits of Mackinac, Lake Michigan
- Official Number: 45966
- Original Owners: Abram Smith, Algonac, MI
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A two-masted wooden scow barge, typical of the lumber and bulk trades of the mid-19th century, designed to carry large deck loads of timber and other forest products across the Great Lakes.
Description
The SMITH, J.A. measured 42.1 metres (138.3 feet) in length, with a beam of 8 metres (26.4 feet) and a hull depth of 2.9 metres (9.4 feet). She registered at 255 gross tons. As a scow barge, she had a simple, broad, shallow-draft hull, well-suited for heavy but low-value cargo such as cedar posts and railroad ties. The vessel carried two masts but was usually towed rather than sailed.
History
Launched in 1871, the SMITH, J.A. was first enrolled in Port Huron, Michigan, to support the thriving lumber trade. Through the 1870s and early 1880s, she changed ownership several times among operators in Trenton, Michigan, and was regularly towed by Great Lakes steamers, including the DON M. DICKINSON and MATTAWAN, in the lumber routes between Bay City and Toledo.
On 8 September 1887, while anchored near Station Point in the Straits of Mackinac with a cargo of cedar posts and railroad ties, the barge was caught in a sudden storm and sank. One life was lost in the accident.
Significant Incidents
- On 8 September 1887, the SMITH, J.A. sank during a storm while anchored, resulting in the loss of one life.
Final Disposition
- Final Location: Station Point, Straits of Mackinac, Lake Michigan
- Date Lost: 8 September 1887
- How Lost: Sunk at anchor during a storm
- Final Cargo: Cedar posts and railroad ties
Current Condition & Accessibility
There are no documented records of the wreck being located or surveyed.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”j-a-smith-us-45966″ title=”References & Links”]
The SMITH, J.A. is a representative example of the scow barges that enabled the mass movement of timber resources during Michigan’s 19th-century lumber boom. Her loss in 1887 illustrates the vulnerability of these towed vessels, which often lacked their own means of propulsion and were at the mercy of the elements while at anchor.
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
- Name(s): SMITH, J.A.
- Year Built: 1871
- Official Number: 45966
- Built At: Algonac, Michigan, USA
- Vessel Type: Scow barge
- Hull Material: Wood
- Builder: T. Arnold
- Original Owner: Abram Smith, Algonac, MI
Vessel Type
A two-masted wooden scow barge, typical of the lumber and bulk trades of the mid-19th century, designed to carry large deck loads of timber and other forest products across the Great Lakes.
Description
The SMITH, J.A. measured 42.1 metres (138.3 feet) in length, with a beam of 8 metres (26.4 feet) and a hull depth of 2.9 metres (9.4 feet). She registered at 255 gross tons. As a scow barge, she had a simple, broad, shallow-draft hull, well-suited for heavy but low-value cargo such as cedar posts and railroad ties. The vessel carried two masts but was usually towed rather than sailed.
History
Launched in 1871, the SMITH, J.A. was first enrolled in Port Huron, Michigan, to support the thriving lumber trade. Through the 1870s and early 1880s, she changed ownership several times among operators in Trenton, Michigan, and was regularly towed by Great Lakes steamers, including the DON M. DICKINSON and MATTAWAN, in the lumber routes between Bay City and Toledo.
On 8 September 1887, while anchored near Station Point in the Straits of Mackinac with a cargo of cedar posts and railroad ties, the barge was caught in a sudden storm and sank. One life was lost in the accident.
Final Disposition
- Final Location: Station Point, Straits of Mackinac, Lake Michigan
- Date Lost: 8 September 1887
- How Lost: Sunk at anchor during a storm
- Final Cargo: Cedar posts and railroad ties
Located By & Date Found
There are no documented records of the wreck being located or surveyed.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
Conclusion
The SMITH, J.A. is a representative example of the scow barges that enabled the mass movement of timber resources during Michigan’s 19th-century lumber boom. Her loss in 1887 illustrates the vulnerability of these towed vessels, which often lacked their own means of propulsion and were at the mercy of the elements while at anchor.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Barge
- Scow
- Lumber trade
- Straits of Mackinac
- 19th-century shipwreck
- Great Lakes
- Towed vessels
- Storm losses