Luther Westover US 120577

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Luther Westover
• Type: Tug
• Year Built: 1877
• Builder: F. Wheeler, West Bay City, Michigan
• Dimensions: 107 ft (32.6 m) x 22 ft (6.7 m); Depth of hold: 6 ft (1.8 m)
• Registered Tonnage: Gross Tonnage: 126 tons; Net Tonnage: 102 tons
• Location: Au Gres River, Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron
• Official Number: 120577

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Luther Westover was a wooden-hulled, sidewheel tug primarily used in the logging industry. As a logging tug, her main role was towing log rafts and supporting logging operations along the waterways of Michigan’s Saginaw Bay.

Description

Launched in 1877, the Luther Westover was one of the early builds of the F. Wheeler shipyard in West Bay City, Michigan—possibly their second hull. Sidewheel tugs like the Luther Westover were integral to the booming logging industry on the Great Lakes, particularly in Michigan, where vast forests supplied lumber to the rapidly growing cities of the Midwest.

The vessel’s design, featuring a shallow draft and powerful sidewheel propulsion, made her well-suited for maneuvering in the rivers and shallow bays where logging operations took place. Her relatively compact size and wooden construction were typical of the era and her function.

History

The Luther Westover served primarily as a logging tug in Saginaw Bay, a key hub for Michigan’s timber industry during the late 19th century. On September 6, 1881, while navigating the Au Gres River, the vessel struck a rock and sank in shallow water. Shortly after, she caught fire and burned nearly to the waterline, resulting in a near-total loss. Though the exact cause of the fire following the grounding is unclear, such incidents were common in wooden vessels where sparks from engines or damaged fuel lines could easily ignite.

Despite the severity of the fire, no lives were lost, and the vessel was abandoned to her underwriters. However, she was later recovered and returned to service, though her exact condition and the extent of repairs remain unclear.

According to official records, the Luther Westover was sold into Canadian registry in 1894 (C#96845) and scrapped in 1903. However, conflicting reports exist regarding her fate:

• Some sources suggest she only entered Canadian registry in 1898.
• Newspaper articles from Bay City in 1897 reported that the vessel was lying derelict and rotting, with expectations that she would be dismantled soon.

These discrepancies highlight the often incomplete or conflicting documentation of vessels from this period, particularly those that underwent multiple recoveries and ownership changes.

Significant Incidents

• September 6, 1881: The Luther Westover struck a rock and sank in the Au Gres River.
• Following the grounding, the vessel caught fire and burned nearly to the waterline.

Final Disposition

The Luther Westover was scrapped in 1903 after a complicated history of sinking, fire damage, recovery, and ownership transfers. The exact timeline of her transition to Canadian registry remains unclear due to conflicting historical records.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Nil return.

Resources & Links

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The Luther Westover serves as a testament to the rugged, yet precarious nature of the logging industry’s reliance on wooden vessels in the late 19th century. Her story—from striking a rock and burning in 1881 to later being recovered and registered in Canada—reflects both the resilience and impermanence of Great Lakes vessels. The conflicting reports about her final years further illustrate the challenges historians face in piecing together the full narratives of working ships in the region.