Mary Walker US 50178

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 Type
A wooden canal-style scow used for harbor transfers and towing work—low-sided, flat-bottom craft common in urban waterways.

Description

Identification & Site Information
Name: 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 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.

Significant Incidents

Significant Incidents
– Collision with the steamer John B. Lyon on 1 November 1883, resulting in total loss.

Final Disposition

Final Disposition
Crushed 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 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

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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.