Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: May Corgan
- Type: Steam tug
- Year Built: 1883
- Builder: Unknown (possibly locally constructed, Wisconsin)
- Dimensions: Not documented
- Registered Tonnage:
- Depth at Wreck Site: 9 m / 30 ft
- Location: Off Bark Point, near Sand Island, Lake Superior
- Coordinates: N 46° 57.031′ W 090° 57.127′
- Original Owners: Originally possibly Lighthouse Keeper James Corgan; later Booth Packing Company, Bayfield, WI
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The May Corgan was a steam tug primarily used for commercial fishing and passenger transfers, characterized by its wooden hull and steam screw propulsion.
Description
The May Corgan was a small steam tug built in 1883, employed variously in passenger transfers, log rafting, and later commercial fishing. Originally linked to lighthouse keeper James Corgan, the tug was eventually sold to the Booth Packing Company, Bayfield, where it worked in the fisheries industry. Wooden-hulled and steam screw-driven, she was typical of the workhorse tugs operating in the Apostle Islands region during the late 19th century.
History
- 1883: In service by lighthouse keeper James Corgan; used to transfer family and supplies (“Took my family and effects on board my own tug the May E. Corgan” – Oct. 27, 1883).
- Mid-1880s: Tug used to raft logs from the Bad River to Ashland sawmills.
- 1888: Purchased by the Booth Packing Company, Bayfield, and converted to fishery support service, hauling catch and supplies.
- 1891: Final owner Booth Packing Company, operating out of Bayfield and Washburn, Wisconsin.
Significant Incidents
On the night of 11 December 1891, the May Corgan was under tow of the steamer T.H. Camp, bound for Duluth. A severe gale arose off Bark Point, and the towline parted. With no one aboard the tug to steer her, the vessel sheered broadside to the seas, quickly filled with water, and sank in ~30 feet of water. Both vessels were owned by the Booth Packing Company, Bayfield. The loss was valued at $10,000. No salvage is recorded, and no lives were lost, as the tug was unmanned at the time.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss; never salvaged. Likely remains scattered in ~30 feet of water near Bark Point. Site is not known as an active dive target.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Coordinates given as N 46° 57.031′ W 090° 57.127′ (near Bark Point). No formal discovery or archaeological survey has been reported. Shallow wreckage likely scattered.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”may-corgan” title=”References & Links”]
The May Corgan illustrates the multi-use tugboats that sustained fishing, logging, and transportation across the Apostle Islands during the late 1800s. Her short service life, ending in an avoidable sinking caused by being towed unmanned in a gale, highlights the risks of small-vessel operations in Lake Superior’s volatile conditions. As with many regional tugs, little remains known of her wreck, making her a candidate for future survey and documentation.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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