Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Red Ribbon
- Type: Wooden Tug
- Year Built: 1877
- Builder:
- Dimensions: 46 ft (14 m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: 20 tons
- Location: Approximately 2 miles below St. Clair, Michigan
- Original Owners: W. H. Morris, Port Huron, Michigan
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Red Ribbon was a small steam tug, likely used for harbor assistance and towing.
Description
The Red Ribbon was a 20-ton wooden tug that met its demise on September 16, 1877, when it caught fire and burned down to the waterline before sinking.
History
Owned by W. H. Morris of Port Huron, Michigan, the Red Ribbon was involved in various towing operations on the Great Lakes. Its service history is marked by its unfortunate loss due to fire.
Significant Incidents
- On September 16, 1877, the Red Ribbon suffered a major fire while underway, quickly burning down to the waterline.
- The engine was salvaged and installed in the steamer City of Detroit in late 1877.
- Following the blaze, she took on water in a storm, was abandoned, and drifted ashore, where she broke up.
- The crew was rescued by the steamer Huron City, which was towing the Rice at the time.
Final Disposition
The Red Ribbon was declared a total loss after the fire. The hulk drifted ashore and broke apart, with no wreck remains documented beyond scattered burned timbers.
Current Condition & Accessibility
As of now, no significant wreck remains have been documented, and any remnants are likely to be scattered along the St. Clair River banks.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”red-ribbon-1877″ title=”References & Links”]
The Red Ribbon’s story is a reminder of the perils faced by vessels on the Great Lakes. While the tug no longer exists in a recognizable form, its history continues to be of interest to maritime enthusiasts.
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.
Identification & Ownership
- Name: Red Ribbon – a 20‑ton wooden tug
- Owner: W. H. Morris, Port Huron, Michigan (flybridge.proboards.com, Scholarly Publications at UWindsor)
- Vessel Type: Small steam tug, likely used for harbor assistance and towing
Final Voyage & Destruction
- Date of Loss: September 16, 1877
- Event: Vessel catch fire and was burned to the water’s edge, then sank and was declared a total loss (navalmarinearchive.com)
- Location: Approximately 2 miles below St. Clair, Michigan, on the St. Clair River (flybridge.proboards.com)
- Casualties: None recorded
Archival Sources & Incident Summary
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (“R” list) note that Red Ribbon burned, lost her engine (transferred to City of Detroit), caught in a storm, became waterlogged, was abandoned, and drifted ashore to break up—crew rescued by the steamer Huron City (sllib.org, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Flybridge forum confirms the date, ownership, and location: “On September 16, 1877, the 46‑foot tug RED RIBBON, owned by W. H. Morris of Port Huron, Michigan, burned about 2 miles below St. Clair, Michigan.” (flybridge.proboards.com)
Incident Sequence
- Red Ribbon suffered a major fire while underway, quickly burning down to waterline.
- The engine was salvaged and installed in the steamer City of Detroit in late 1877 (Wikipedia, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
- Following the blaze, she took on water in a storm, was abandoned, and drifted ashore, where she broke up.
- The crew was rescued by the steamer Huron City, which was towing the Rice at the time (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
Archival Gaps & Suggested Follow-Up
| Topic | Research Strategy |
|---|---|
| Exact construction and registry | Examine U.S. or Michigan vessel records pre-1877 for build details and steam registration |
| Crew manifest & testimony | Search newspapers (e.g., Port Huron Times, Detroit Free Press) around Sept 1877 for crew accounts |
| Salvage operation context | Review logbooks or builder docks where the City of Detroit was outfitted with Red Ribbon‘s engine |
| Wreck location & remains | Determine if any hull remnants remain along the St. Clair River banks below St. Clair, MI |
Conclusion
The Red Ribbon, a small steam tug owned by W. H. Morris of Port Huron, caught fire and burned down to the waterline on September 16, 1877, just below St. Clair, Michigan. Her engine was later reused, the hulk drifted ashore and broke apart, and all crew were safely rescued by the passing steamer Huron City. No wreck remains were documented beyond the scattered burned timbers.
Would you like me to draft a newspaper archive search plan, locate salvage records regarding her engine transfer, or help identify any surviving artifacts along the St. Clair River shoreline?
red-ribbon-1877 1877-09-16 01:37:00