Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

M.H. Stuart US 221409

Explore the wreck of the M.H. Stuart, a wooden steambarge scuttled in 1948, now resting in 200 ft of water off Milwaukee, showcasing early 20th-century maritime history.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: M.H. Stuart
  • Type: Wooden steambarge
  • Year Built: 1921
  • Builder: Walter & O'Boyle
  • Dimensions: Length 104.5 ft (31.9 m); Beam 25.5 ft; Depth of hold 8.7 ft
  • Registered Tonnage: 192 GT
  • Depth at Wreck Site: 60 m / 200 ft
  • Location: Milwaukee Harbor, Wisconsin
  • Official Number: 221409
  • Original Owners: Traverse City Transportation Company; E.J. Leway; Roen Steam Ship Company; Ship Salvage Corporation
  • Number of Masts: 1

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Type: Wooden steambarge with single deck and one mast

Description

The M.H. Stuart was a wooden steambarge built in 1921, primarily used for transporting goods across the Great Lakes. It featured a fore-and-aft compound steam engine and was originally owned by the Traverse City Transportation Company.

History

The vessel began service in 1921, primarily hauling fruit, especially grapes, between Traverse City and Sheboygan. It also transported cordwood, livestock, hay, potatoes, and reportedly bootleg liquor during Prohibition. Ownership later included E.J. Leway and the Roen Steam Ship Company. On December 11, 1937, the vessel sank in a storm on Lake Huron.

Significant Incidents

  • 1937: Sank in a storm on Lake Huron.
  • 1948: Sank at dock; Coast Guard directed salvage operations.

Final Disposition

In 1948, the M.H. Stuart sank at dock, leading to Coast Guard-directed salvage operations. The vessel was pumped out, filled with rocks, towed 8 miles offshore, and then torched and deliberately holed to sink. It now rests upright in 200 ft of water in the Milwaukee Harbor area.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck was discovered in the mid-1980s when commercial fishing nets snagged on it. It is upright in deep water with extensive fire damage to the superstructure. Features visible include decking, rudder, and propeller, with nets still entangled around the bow and stern.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”m-h-stuart-us-221409″ title=”References & Links”]

The M.H. Stuart serves as an example of early 20th-century fruit steambarge infrastructure on the Great Lakes and illustrates the transition to wartime scrap operations. Its deep-water wreck offers insights into wooden steambarge construction and the impact of fire underwater.

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

  • Type: Wooden steambarge with single deck and one mast
  • Built: 1921 at Sturgeon Bay, WI by Walter & O’Boyle (Hull No. 69)
  • Registry: U.S. Official Number 221409
  • Propulsion: Fore-and-aft compound steam engine (18″ × 28″ × 17″) by Manitowoc Steam Boat Company; scotch boiler from steamer J.S. Crouse (Wisconsin Shipwrecks)
  • Original Owner: Traverse City Transportation Company

Dimensions & Tonnage

  • Length: 104.5 ft
  • Beam: 25.5 ft
  • Depth of hold: 8.7 ft
  • Gross tonnage: 192 GT
  • Net tonnage: 130 NT (Wisconsin Shipwrecks)

Operational History

  • Began service in 1921, primarily as a fruit hauler—especially grapes—between Traverse City and Sheboygan
  • Also carried cordwood, livestock, hay, potatoes, and reportedly even bootleg liquor during Prohibition (Wisconsin Shipwrecks)
  • Later ownership included E.J. Leway (Cheboygan, MI) and Roen Steam Ship Company
  • In 1937 (Dec 11) the vessel sank in a storm on Lake Huron (further investigation advised)

Transition to Salvage Barge

  • Acquired by Ship Salvage Corporation (Jack Browne) in Milwaukee during WWII (by 1944) to recover scrap metal
  • Cabins removed, used as floating scrap barge in Milwaukee Harbor (Wisconsin Shipwrecks)

Final Disposition

  • 1948: Sank at dock; Coast Guard directed salvage operations
  • Vessel was pumped out, filled with rocks, towed 8 miles offshore; torched and deliberately holed to sink
  • Rests upright in 200 ft of water, Milwaukee Harbor area (Wisconsin Shipwrecks)

Wreck Discovery & Condition

  • Discovered mid-1980s when commercial fishing nets snagged on the wreck (first noted ~1981); later confirmed as M.H. Stuart (Wisconsin Shipwrecks)
  • Wreck is upright in deep water with extensive fire damage to superstructure
  • Features visible: decking, rudder, propeller; nets still entangled around bow and stern (Wisconsin Shipwrecks)

Dive & Survey Information

  • Depth: ~200 ft (60 m) — this depth restricts dives to technical deep-diving protocols
  • Structure largely intact but heavily burned; mooring requires careful planning due to depth and visibility

Historical & Archaeological Significance

  • Example of early 20th-century fruit steambarge infrastructure on Great Lakes
  • Transitioned to wartime scrap operations, illustrating adaptive reuse
  • Deep-water wreck offers insights into wooden steambarge construction and fire impact underwater

Gaps & Research Recommendations

  • Investigate Coast Guard logs for 1948 scuttling directives and permits
  • Examine logs and crew lists related to the 1937 Lake Huron sinking—National Archives and local newspapers
  • Detailed sonar mapping to assess structural integrity and remaining engine components
  • Dive survey to identify boiler, engine remnants, fire damage patterns

Summary

The M.H. STUART served a diverse Great Lakes career—from hauling fruit and bulk goods to functioning as a WWII-era scrap barge—before being intentionally scuttled in 1948 in 200-foot-deep waters off Milwaukee. Discovered in the 1980s, the wreck remains largely upright, with engine, propeller, and hull features intact but fire-affected. It represents a valuable subject for study in wooden steambarge design, WWII maritime salvage practices, and deep-water Great Lakes wreck preservation.

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