Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Minnie Morton
- Type: Wooden screw tug
- Year Built: 1871
- Builder: John Jones
- Dimensions: 55 ft × 10 ft × 6 ft (16.8 × 3.0 × 1.8 m); 28 GRT / 18 NRT
- Registered Tonnage: 28 GRT / 18 NRT
- Depth at Wreck Site: 7.6 m / 25 ft
- Location: Near Bois Blanc Island, Detroit River, Lake Erie
- Official Number: 15640
- Original Owners: Hackett, Malden, Ontario (later Odette & Wherry of Windsor, Ontario)
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A small wooden screw-powered tugboat built for river and harbour towing. Designed with a single deck and modest displacement, Minnie Morton served local ports and waterways along the Detroit River.
Description
The Minnie Morton was a wooden screw tug designed for towing operations in rivers and harbors. With a modest size and single deck, it was well-suited for the local waterways of the Detroit River.
History
- 23 Aug 1871: Enrolled under Rondeau Harbour of Refuge Co., operating in Upper Lakes.
- 1879: Registered under A. Kebille, Amherstburg, Ontario.
- 1881: Owned by Odette & Wherry of Windsor.
Significant Incidents
On 2 October 1881, Minnie Morton was assisting in salvage efforts for tug Martin Swain when a log raft being towed by tug John Owen broke apart off Bois Blanc Island. Logs swept into Minnie Morton, severely damaging her hull. The tug sank in about 25 ft (7.6 m) of water near the island’s south channel. Captain Glass escaped, though many of her tools and diving gear were lost with the vessel.
Final Disposition
A lawsuit followed, and the court awarded US $2,600 in damages to the owners, holding the John Owen and its owners negligent in rafting operations.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck lies submerged at approximately 25 ft (7.6 m) near the main channel off Bois Blanc Island. No formal archaeological dives have been noted, but the site remains in a navigational area of the Detroit River between the U.S. and Canada.
Resources & Links
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The Minnie Morton exemplifies late 19th-century wooden screw tug operations on the Detroit River. Her demise from a log raft collision underscores the hazards tugs faced during salvage and towing tasks. Though no crew were lost, the sinking and subsequent legal case highlight the complexity of liability on busy waterways. The wreck remains in shallow water near Bois Blanc Island—a silent testament to industrial-era logging and transportation.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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