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.

(Tug, built 1868 – burned Total Loss November 26–28, 1889, Saginaw River mouth, Lake Huron)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Kitty Smoke
• Launch / Build Year: 1868
• Registered Tonnage: ~75 t (Jasper Hanson, Manitowoc registry) (2manitowoc.com, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
• Loss Date: Conflicting sources show her burning happened either November 26 or 28, 1889 at the mouth of the Saginaw River, Lake Huron (2manitowoc.com)
• Location: Mouth of the Saginaw River, Michigan — Lake Huron

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 t registry) designed for Lake Huron operations (2manitowoc.com, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

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.

Crew / Casualties

• Loss of life: None – crew escaped safely ashore when fire broke out and the vessel burned to a total loss (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

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.

Located By & Date Found

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.

Notices to Mariners & Official Advisories

No notations in official notices or hazard bulletins. Designated lost and no long‑term hazard, given proximity to shore—None noted.

Resources & Links

• Jasper Hanson, Manitowoc construction noted in listings (town registry; Great Lakes Shipwreck Files) (2manitowoc.com)
• The November 1889 shipwreck listing (Wikipedia compilation) marks her as burned at Saginaw River mouth on Nov 26 or 28 1889 (Wikipedia)
• Secondary account of Kitty Smoke engaged in wreck operations in Lake Michigan in 1896 (tug of the same name?) but likely a different vessel owing to later salvage operations – suggests name reuse by Manitowoc tug registry (wisconsinshipwrecks.org)

Analysis of Sources & Gaps

The vessel is only briefly documented in list compilations and local registry references; no detailed crew logs, ownership manifests, or marine board reports have been located. The conflicting dates (Nov 26 vs. 28) likely reflect reporting delays in Chicago or Detroit papers. No archival images, diving data, or formal inquiry documents appear accessible in online databases for Kitty Smoke.

Next Steps for Further Research

• Newspaper archives: local Michigan newspapers (e.g. Saginaw Courier, Bay City Times) around late November 1889 may contain notices of the fire or registry details.
• Maritime registries: consult BGSU Great Lakes vessel lists (1868 entries for Kitty Smoke) and US enrollment records for crew or owner names.
• Local port authority or Marine board inquiry files in Michigan archives (Saginaw/Bay County) may hold fire investigation notes.
• Manitowoc shipyard records (Jasper Hanson correspondence) might survive in Wisconsin historical archives.
• Museum or archives: contact the National Museum of the Great Lakes or Wisconsin Marine Historical Society for any photographs or additional registry information.

Conclusion

Kitty Smoke was a small wooden steam tug constructed in 1868, operating in Lake Huron waters. On late November 1889, she and 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.

Keywords & Terms

• Lake Huron, Saginaw River, steam tug, wooden vessel, fire loss, 1889 wreck, Saginaw, Manitowoc shipbuilding.

Please let me know if you would like me to pursue any specific archives or dive-site investigations around the Saginaw River area.

kitty-smoke-1868 1889-11-26 17:45:00