Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Milton D Ward US 90162

Explore the history of the Milton D. Ward, a sidewheel steamer that served the Great Lakes before its fiery end in 1894.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Milton D. Ward
  • Type: Sidewheel Steamer
  • Year Built: 1870
  • Builder: Philander Lester, Marine City, Michigan
  • Dimensions: Length: 175 ft (53.3 m); Beam: 28.5 ft (8.7 m); Depth of hold: 7.8 ft (2.4 m)
  • Registered Tonnage: 538.31 GT
  • Location: Waterworks Park, Detroit, Michigan
  • Official Number: 90162
  • Original Owners: River & Lake Shore Steamboat Company; J.M. Nichol; John Pridgeon & Co; Star Line Steamship Company; White Star Line; S.B. Grummond
  • Number of Masts: 1

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Milton D. Ward was a sidewheel steamer designed for passenger and freight transport.

Description

The Milton D. Ward was a passenger and package freight steamer, originally operating between Detroit and Port Huron, Michigan. She featured bluff bows and a spacious cabin arrangement with 30 staterooms.

History

The Milton D. Ward was officially enrolled in Detroit on May 28, 1870, and began operations. She transported silver ore from Fort William in March 1872 and was seized for customs violations in July 1872. Over the years, she changed ownership multiple times and underwent significant modifications, including a lengthening and rebuilding in 1875. The vessel was involved in several incidents, including collisions and engine breakdowns, and served as a floating hospital during a cholera epidemic in 1892.

Significant Incidents

  • 1872, July: Seized for customs violations.
  • 1877, September: Collided with the wreck of the Nile.
  • 1882, June 15: Collision with steamer A.W. Colton.
  • 1886, July 18: Engine breakdown; repaired in Marine City.
  • 1886, September 12: Collided with steambarge Lake St. Clair.
  • 1894, August 16: Burned; never repaired.

Final Disposition

The Milton D. Ward was officially abandoned at Waterworks Park, Detroit, in the Detroit River in 1898. By 1900, her engine was removed, and the hull was broken up, leaving no remains of the vessel.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No wreck remains, as the hull was broken up in 1900. No known artifacts or surviving structures exist.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”milton-d-ward-us-90162″ title=”References & Links”]

The Milton D. Ward was a versatile sidewheel steamer that served passenger and freight routes across Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, and the Detroit River. Her 24-year career included multiple ownership changes, collisions, and modifications. After being destroyed by fire in 1894 and abandoned in 1898, her hull was scrapped by 1900, leaving no remains of this once-prominent Great Lakes steamer.

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.

Sidewheel Steamer Milton D. Ward

WARD, MILTON D. (1870, Steamer)
C. Labadie Collection
Name of original file : 151665_151690_F.jp2

Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Milton D. Ward
  • Other Names: None
  • Official Number: 90162
  • Vessel Type at Loss: Sidewheel Steamer (Passenger & Freight)
  • Builder: Philander Lester, Marine City, Michigan
  • Year Built & Launched: 1870 (Launched April 1870)
  • Specifications: Length: 175 ft (53.3 m) Beam: 28.5 ft (8.7 m) Depth: 7.8 ft (2.4 m)
    • Gross Tonnage: 538.31 GT
  • Number of Decks: 1
  • Number of Staterooms: 30 (24 cabin staterooms, 6 outside staterooms)
  • Propulsion: Sidewheel, steam-powered
  • Engine Type: Vertical Beam (Walking Beam)
  • Engine Size: 42″ x 10′, 500 hp (Salvaged from previous ships: Canadian (1853), Fashion, and Dove)
  • Original Owner: River & Lake Shore Steamboat Company (Owned by industrialist Eber Brock Ward)

Service History & Modifications

The Milton D. Ward was a passenger and package freight steamer, originally operating between Detroit and Port Huron, Michigan. She was designed for river and lake travel, featuring bluff bows and a spacious cabin arrangement with 30 staterooms.

  • 1870, May 28: Officially enrolled in Detroit and began operations.
  • 1872, March: Transported silver ore from Fort William (Thunder Bay, Ontario).
  • 1872, July: Seized for customs violations (details unknown).
  • 1873: Sold to J.M. Nichol, Detroit, then to John Pridgeon & Co.
  • 1874: Sold to Star Line Steamship Company.
  • 1875: Lengthened and rebuilt with a new keelson & guards at J.M. Jones Shipyard, Detroit. New dimensions: 182.5 ft length, 544.1 GT Sharper bow for improved handling.
  • 1877, September: Collided with the wreck of the Nile; released by tug Prince Alfred.
  • 1879: Ran on the Star Line route (Detroit to Port Austin, Michigan).
  • 1882: Acquired by White Star Line, Detroit. June 15: Collision with steamer A.W. Colton.
  • 1886: Sold to S.B. Grummond. July 18: Engine breakdown; repaired in Marine City. September 12: Collided with steambarge Lake St. Clair.
  • 1887: Operated between Cheboygan and Sault Ste. Marie.
  • 1888: Major renovation: New square pilothouse. Upgraded staterooms and extended hurricane deck.
  • September 9, 1892: Chartered by the Detroit Board of Health as a floating hospital during a cholera epidemic.
  • August 16, 1894: Burned; never repaired.

Final Disposition

1898: Officially abandoned at Waterworks Park, Detroit, in the Detroit River. November 16, 1898: Enrollment surrendered.

1900: Moved to 24th Street, Detroit. Engine removed, hull broken up.

Located By & Date Found

No wreck remains, as the hull was broken up in 1900 No known artifacts or surviving structures.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The Milton D. Ward was a versatile sidewheel steamer, serving passenger and freight routes across Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, and the Detroit River. Over her 24-year career, she endured multiple ownership changes, collisions, and modifications. Her final years were marked by service as a floating hospital during the 1892 cholera epidemicbefore she was destroyed by fire in 1894 and abandoned in 1898. By 1900, her hull was scrapped, leaving no remains of this once-prominent Great Lakes steamer.

milton-d-ward-us-90162 1894-08-16 07:55:00