Maine – Lake Huron Barge Shipwreck (1911)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Maine
• Type: Barge / Propeller Vessel
• Year Built: 1862
• Builder: Stevens & Presley
• Dimensions: Approx. 132 × 28 × 12 ft; ~332 gross / 255 net tons
• Registered Tonnage: 332 gross / 255 net tons
• Location: Marine City, Michigan
• Official Number: 16445
• Original Owners: Unknown
• Number of Masts: None

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

A wooden barge and later propeller vessel active on Lake Superior–Lake Huron waters

Description

Vessel Identity & Specifications

• Built: 1862 by Stevens & Presley in Cleveland, Ohio
• Tonnage & Size: Approx. 132 × 28 × 12 ft; ~332 gross / 255 net tons
• Official Number: 16445

History

Service History

The vessel’s repeated listings of damage or sinking in 1898, 1899, and 1906 suggest multiple serious incidents over her ~50-year career. The 1906 Portage Canal sinking in Lake Superior suggests minor loss and quick salvage, given her continued operation until the 1911 fire.

Significant Incidents

Major Loss Events

• July 17, 1911 — Fire at Owner’s Dock: Destroyed by fire while tied up at her owner’s dock in Marine City, Michigan. The blaze led to total loss, but no crew members were aboard, so no lives lost. Documents indicate the vessel was registered out of Marine City, and the loss officially recorded on July 17, 1911.
• Sinking in Portage Canal / Lake Superior (1906): Prior to the 1911 fire, Maine is reported to have sank in 1906 in the Portage Canal on Lake Superior. This incident likely resulted from flooding or grounding within the waterway. However, the ship was apparently salvaged or refloated and returned to service—implied by its continued operation until 1911.
• Other Reported Losses: Additional entries list the vessel as lost in 1898 and 1899, though details are missing. These may reflect storm damage, temporary abandonments, or misfiled clerical entries rather than total destruction at those times.

Final Disposition

Final Disposition

The final fire on July 17, 1911, at her dock in Marine City was a total destruction of the vessel and she was officially removed from the register with no crew aboard.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Current Condition & Accessibility

The vessel was burned to the waterline and remains unrecovered.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”maine-us-16445″ title=”References & Links”]

The vessel Maine, built in 1862 (Official No. 16445), survived multiple damaging incidents throughout her service life—including a sinking in the Portage Canal (1906)—but was ultimately destroyed by fire at her owner’s dock in Marine City on July 17, 1911, with no casualties. Earlier listings (1898, 1899) suggest repeated storm-related or operational incidents prior to her final destruction.