Milwaukee Tug No. 1 (2025)(NOAA Milwaukee Survey, 2025)

1. IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION

This site is an unidentified small steam-powered tug, discovered during a NOAA hydrographic and documentation survey of the Milwaukee area of Lake Michigan in the 2025 field season. It is one of five newly identified small wrecks located during the survey.

The wreck appears to represent a tug approximately 68 feet (20.7 m) in length. The precise location has not yet been publicly released in text form; however, its position is visible in survey imagery provided with the 3D model. Depth and access details have not yet been confirmed.

2. CONSTRUCTION & OWNERSHIP

The vessel appears to have been a steam-powered tug, likely dating to the late 19th or early 20th century, based on machinery type and construction style.

Vessel Type: Tug
Builder: Details not yet confirmed
Year Built: Details not yet confirmed
Place of Build: Details not yet confirmed
Dimensions: Approx. 68 ft (20.7 m) length
Tonnage: Details not yet confirmed
Ownership: Unknown

No builder’s plates, name boards, or registry numbers have been identified to date.

3. POWER & MACHINERY

The wreck retains significant propulsion machinery, suggesting a steam configuration typical of harbor or industrial tugs:

Firebox boiler
Single-expansion steam engine
Propeller shaft
Propeller
Rudder

The survival of the full propulsion train suggests the vessel was not heavily salvaged prior to sinking.

4. SERVICE HISTORY

Details of the tug’s service history are not yet confirmed. Based on vessel type and location, it may have served in harbor, towing, construction, or industrial support roles in the Milwaukee area or southern Lake Michigan.

No documentary link to a named tug has yet been established.

5. LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES

The vessel appears to have been intentionally sunk or scuttled, though an accidental loss cannot yet be ruled out.

Date of Loss: Unknown
Cause of Loss: Possibly scuttled (unconfirmed)
Weather Conditions: Unknown
Casualties: None known

The absence of hull sides and the general condition of the remains may indicate controlled sinking, disposal, or later structural collapse.

6. DISCOVERY, OUTCOME & LATER HISTORY

The wreck was discovered during a NOAA survey of the Milwaukee area of Lake Michigan in 2025.

A high-resolution 3D photogrammetry model was created from 1,080 30-megapixel images, captured by Andrew Goodman, with support from Kendra Kennedy.

The project was a collaboration between:

Wisconsin Historical Society
Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society (GLSPS)

Funding support was provided through a gift from the Racine Lighthouse and Maritime Preservation Society.

The wreck remains unidentified, and further archival research and comparative analysis are ongoing.

7. WRECK DESCRIPTION & DIVE CONDITIONS

The wreck is highly collapsed:

Hull sides are entirely gone
Remaining structure consists of:
- Bottom of the hull
- A small section of deck
- Exposed propulsion machinery

The machinery is the most prominent and diagnostic feature of the site. Artifacts remain in situ and undisturbed.

Divers and researchers should follow strict no-touch documentation practices. This site represents an important archaeological resource, and removal or disturbance of material is illegal without appropriate permits. Leave only bubbles, take only memories.

8. REFERENCES & LINKS

For detailed references, survey data, and the 3D model, see the References & Links section on this page.
(Note: the direct model link was not provided at time of writing.)

Shotline Diving