Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Kitty Smoke
- Type: Tug
- Year Built: 1868
- Builder: Jasper Hanson
- Dimensions: Length ~75 ft (22.86 m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: ~75 ft
- Location: Mouth of the Saginaw River, Michigan
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
- Class / Purpose: Propeller steam tug, wooden construction (approximately 75 tons).
Description
Constructed in 1868 by Jasper Hanson at Manitowoc, Wisconsin. At time of loss, she was employed as a steam-driven tug vessel with wooden hull, modest dimensions consistent with a regional towing tug (~75 ft registry) designed for Lake Huron operations.
History
Little documented about her earlier career; built in Manitowoc and based regionally, likely operated in Michigan and Wisconsin waters. No detailed records of ownership or master names have surfaced in secondary listings.
Significant Incidents
- Loss of life: None – crew escaped safely ashore when fire broke out and the vessel burned to a total loss.
Final Disposition
- Cause of loss: Vessel burned at or near shore; fire consumed hull rendering her a total loss.
- Loss Conditions: Because she was moored or ashore at the time, and crew evacuated easily, loss limited to property; no inquiry findings or salvage attempts are recorded.
Current Condition & Accessibility
There are no records that the wreck was located underwater. As the vessel burned ashore and was declared a total loss, she likely rotted in situ or was salvaged on-site, with no known archaeological remains.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”kitty-smoke-1868″ title=”References & Links”]
Kitty Smoke was a small wooden steam tug constructed in 1868, operating in Lake Huron waters. On late November 1889, she was burned to a total loss ashore at the mouth of the Saginaw River. Fortunately, the crew escaped unharmed. No wreck site remains are recorded. Documentation about her enterprise, crew, or origins remains sparse, requiring deeper archival investigation for fuller historical profiling.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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