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.

JOSEPH L. HURD (1869, Package Freighter)

Identification & Site Information

• Name: JOSEPH L. HURD
• Official Number: 75154
• Date Built & Launched: September 1, 1869
• Builder: Campbell, Owens & Co., Detroit, Michigan
• Master Carpenter: Gordon Campbell
• Original Owner: J.L. Hurd & Co., Detroit, Michigan
• Hull Number: 10
• Measurements: Length: 171 ft (52.12 m) Beam: 29.2 ft (8.90 m) Depth: 10.9 ft (3.32 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 759.88 tons (readjusted to 557.21 tons in 1896)
• Net Tonnage: 592.65 tons (adjusted to 389.98 tons in 1896)

Vessel Type

The JOSEPH L. HURD was a wooden-hulled package freighter, later converted into a steam barge during her long career on the Great Lakes. Originally designed for mixed cargo transport, she adapted over time to meet the changing demands of the maritime industry, including service in the stone trade, lumber trade, and towing operations.

Description

Built in 1869 by Campbell, Owens & Co. in Detroit, Michigan, the JOSEPH L. HURD was designed as a durable and versatile freighter for Great Lakes service. She featured a single deck, a robust wooden hull, and was powered by a high-pressure steam engine with the following specifications:

• Engine Type: High-Pressure (HPNC)
• Cylinders: 12″ and 36″ diameter with a 36″ stroke
• Horsepower: 325 HP at 98 RPM
• Propulsion: Single screw propeller
• Boiler: Firebox boiler (7 ft x 17 ft), built by Cuyahoga Iron Works, Cleveland, Ohio (1861)

The vessel underwent several modifications throughout her life, including structural changes to her stern, conversion from a freighter to a steam barge, and updates to her propulsion system.

History

The JOSEPH L. HURD had a storied career spanning over four decades, marked by numerous incidents, collisions, and conversions:

• 1869: Launched on September 1 and enrolled in Detroit on September 15. Operated on the Detroit & Saginaw route.
• 1871:
  • August: Grounded in the Detroit River; released with assistance from the tug W.B. CASTLE.
  • November: Collided with the steamer CORTLANDT below Belle Isle, Detroit River.
• 1873: Ownership transferred to Joseph Austrian and partners in Chicago; new passenger cabin added.
• 1874: Entered the Chicago & Lake Superior route.
• 1876–77: Extensive winter refits, including an extended aft cabin, new stern bulwarks, and machinery overhauls.
• 1884 (September 1): Grounded on a reef near Detour, Michigan in 30 ft of water. Raised by the wrecking tug LEVIATHAN and repaired at Wolf & Davidson Shipyards, Milwaukee.
• 1888: June: Grounded in fog at Frankfort, Michigan; freed with tug assistance.
• October 22: Beached at Eagle Harbor, Lake Superior after springing a leak; successfully lightered and released.
• 1889–90: Converted into a freighter, with cabins removed to increase cargo space.
• 1895 (May 10): Involved in a catastrophic collision with the steel package freighter CAYUGA near Skillagalee Light, Lake Michigan. The HURD‘s bow was completely destroyed, but she remained afloat due to her lumber cargo.
• Casualty: One crew member, George Johnston, drowned.
• Aftermath: Beached at Harbor Springs, Michigan for temporary repairs.

Following the collision, the vessel changed hands multiple times and continued operating primarily in the stone trade, lumber transport, and as a tow barge after being converted from active propulsion to a barge.

Final Disposition

After more than 40 years of service, the JOSEPH L. HURD was abandoned and scuttled on November 8, 1913, off the end of the old Leathem Smith Quarry Dock at the northwest end of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, in Lake Michigan.

• 1913 (September 23): Stranded 9 miles northwest of the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, carrying crushed stone. She was released and towed back to Sturgeon Bay.
• 1913 (November 8): Deliberately scuttled after being deemed unfit for further service.
• 1913 (November 10): Official documents surrendered in Milwaukee, marking her formal retirement from the U.S. registry.

Located By & Date Found

The wreck of the JOSEPH L. HURD remains near Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, off the old quarry dock. While the exact date of modern discovery is unclear, the wreck is known to exist in relatively shallow water and may be accessible to divers interested in historical shipwreck sites in Lake Michigan.

NOTMARs & Advisories

No specific Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) are currently issued for the JOSEPH L. HURD wreck site. However, divers should exercise caution due to:

• Possible submerged hazards from the scuttled hull
• Debris fields from the old quarry operations

Resources & Links

• Great Lakes Vessels Database – Bowling Green State University
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Wisconsin Shipwrecks Database
• Door County Maritime Museum

Conclusion

The JOSEPH L. HURD had an extraordinary career marked by resilience and adaptability. Despite suffering numerous accidents, including the infamous 1895 collision with the CAYUGA, the vessel continued to serve for nearly half a century. Her final resting place near Sturgeon Bay serves as a silent testament to the enduring spirit of Great Lakes maritime history, offering divers and historians alike a glimpse into the dynamic world of 19th-century shipping.

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