Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Mary Walker
- Type: Wooden canal boat (harbor/log boom scow)
- Year Built: 1866
- Builder: Chicago
- Dimensions: 83 tons (no length/beam/depth available)
- Registered Tonnage: 83 tons
- Location: Chicago River (South Branch), at Collision Bend
- Official Number: 50178
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Vessel TypeA wooden canal-style scow used for harbor transfers and towing work—low-sided, flat-bottom craft common in urban waterways.
Description
Identification & Site InformationName: Mary Walker
Built: 1866, Chicago
Official Number: 50178
Final Loss: 1 November 1883
Cause of Loss: Collision—struck by steamer John B. Lyon under tow
Cargo: Not recorded
Crew & Casualties: None reported
History
History & Final IncidentBuilt in 1866 in Chicago and active throughout the 1870s–80s, Mary Walker was tied to the riverbank near Collision Bend on the South Branch of the Chicago River. On 1 November 1883, the steamer John B. Lyon, being towed stern-first by two tugs through the tight bend, swung too wide and struck her. The Mary Walker was crushed “like a silk hat under a fat lady” and lost beyond repair. All aboard—or dock crew—escaped unharmed.
Significant Incidents
Significant Incidents– Collision with the steamer John B. Lyon on 1 November 1883, resulting in total loss.
Final Disposition
Final DispositionCrushed at the wall, dismantled, and declared a total loss. Removed from service immediately; no salvage required beyond clearing wreckage.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Located By & Date FoundNil return. The incident was public and witnessed; no wreck remains in situ, and no GPS mapping applies.
Notmars & Advisories
No navigational markers exist today at the historic collision point. However, the area remains navigationally tight and potentially hazardous for large tows on the South Branch.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”mary-walker-us-50178″ title=”References & Links”]
ConclusionMary Walker, a Chicago-built scow, was destroyed on 1 November 1883 when struck by the towed steamer John B. Lyon at Collision Bend on the Chicago River. The accident caused no loss of life—only the end of a modest harbor vessel. Today, her wreck is not marked but remains a cautionary story of early urban tow navigation.
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.
Identification & Site Information
Name: Mary Walker
Built: 1866, Chicago
Vessel Type: Wooden canal boat (harbor/log boom scow)
Official Number: 50178
Dimensions & Tonnage: 83 tons (no length/beam/depth available)
Final Loss: 1 November 1883
Location: Chicago River (South Branch), at “Collision Bend”
Cause of Loss: Collision—struck by steamer John B. Lyon under tow
Cargo: Not recorded
Crew & Casualties: None reported
Vessel Type
A wooden canal-style scow used for harbor transfers and towing work—low-sided, flat-bottom craft common in urban waterways.
History & Final Incident
Built in 1866 in Chicago and active throughout the 1870s–80s, Mary Walker was tied to the riverbank near Collision Bend on the South Branch of the Chicago River. On 1 November 1883, the steamer John B. Lyon, being towed stern-first by two tugs through the tight bend, swung too wide and struck her. The Mary Walker was crushed “like a silk hat under a fat lady” and lost beyond repair. All aboard—or dock crew—escaped unharmed.
Final Disposition
Crushed at the wall, dismantled, and declared a total loss. Removed from service immediately; no salvage required beyond clearing wreckage.
Located By & Date Found
Nil return. The incident was public and witnessed; no wreck remains in situ, and no GPS mapping applies.
Notmars & Advisories
No navigational markers exist today at the historic collision point. However, the area remains navigationally tight and potentially hazardous for large tows on the South Branch.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files entry (Mary Walker collision, tonnage, date) (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Conclusion
Mary Walker, a Chicago-built scow, was destroyed on 1 November 1883 when struck by the towed steamer John B. Lyon at Collision Bend on the Chicago River. The accident caused no loss of life—only the end of a modest harbor vessel. Today, her wreck is not marked but remains a cautionary story of early urban tow navigation.