Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: ROBERT HOLLAND
- Type: Wooden-hulled screw steambarge, later converted to a passenger and freight steamer
- Year Built: April 1872
- Builder: Alex Anderson, Marine City, MI
- Dimensions: Length 149.6 ft (45.6 m); Beam 28.2 ft (8.6 m); Depth of hold 11.9 ft (3.6 m)
- Registered Tonnage: Gross Tonnage: 423 t; Net Tonnage: 339 t
- Location: Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
- Coordinates: Approximate location of the wreck
- Official Number: U.S. Official No. 110043
- Original Owners: Various owners over the years, including Canadian ownership
- Number of Masts: Not specified
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden-hulled screw steambarge, later converted to a passenger and freight steamer
Description
The ROBERT HOLLAND began her life in 1872 as a wood-hulled steambarge built at Marine City, Michigan, outfitted with a high-pressure engine and constructed to carry both freight and passengers. Over time, she underwent multiple rebuilds and changes in ownership, at one point being converted into a passenger steamer with significant structural changes including the addition of a second deck and new cabins.
History
Originally operating out of Port Huron, Michigan, the vessel ran into early trouble when she grounded off Pelee Island in her first year. Rebuilt in 1875 for passenger service, she was renamed NORTHERN QUEEN under Canadian ownership. Her eventful service included groundings, collisions, and significant incidents: notably in 1881 she collided with and sank the LAKE ERIE before striking a bar and sinking herself in the Manistique River.
Raised and rebuilt in 1882, she returned to the name ROBERT HOLLAND and changed ownership frequently in the subsequent decades. She sank again in Duluth harbour in 1906 due to a shifting deck load and was salvaged. That same year, she suffered a broken shaft on Lake Superior. Her working life was extended into the 1910s under various owners in Michigan and Chicago.
Significant Incidents
- Grounded off Pelee Island in her first year of service.
- Renamed NORTHERN QUEEN after being rebuilt in 1875.
- Collided with and sank the LAKE ERIE in 1881.
- Sank in the Manistique River after striking a bar.
- Sank again in Duluth harbour in 1906 due to a shifting deck load.
Final Disposition
On May 11, 1915, the ROBERT HOLLAND caught fire while docked at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The fire destroyed her upper works, and the vessel was declared a total loss. Her enrollment documents were surrendered in Chicago on May 24, 1915.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Nil return. No recorded rediscovery or survey of wreck remains to date.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”robert-holland-us-110043″ title=”References & Links”]
The ROBERT HOLLAND (formerly NORTHERN QUEEN) will be indexed under Lake Michigan wrecks and will be plotted for future mapping and charting purposes.
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.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: ROBERT HOLLAND
- Former Names: NORTHERN QUEEN
- Registration Number(s): U.S. Official No. 110043
- Date Built & Launched: April 1872
- Builder: Alex Anderson, Marine City, MI
- Master Carpenter: J.J. Hill
- Measurements:
- Length: 149.6 ft (45.6 m)
- Beam: 28.2 ft (8.6 m)
- Depth: 11.9 ft (3.6 m)
- Gross Tonnage: 423 t
- Net Tonnage: 339 t
- Date Lost: May 11, 1915
Vessel Type
Wooden-hulled screw steambarge, later converted to a passenger and freight steamer
Description
The ROBERT HOLLAND began her life in 1872 as a wood-hulled steambarge built at Marine City, Michigan, outfitted with a high-pressure engine and constructed to carry both freight and passengers. Over time, she underwent multiple rebuilds and changes in ownership, at one point being converted into a passenger steamer with significant structural changes including the addition of a second deck and new cabins.
History
Originally operating out of Port Huron, Michigan, the vessel ran into early trouble when she grounded off Pelee Island in her first year. Rebuilt in 1875 for passenger service, she was renamed NORTHERN QUEEN under Canadian ownership. Her eventful service included groundings, collisions, and significant incidents: notably in 1881 she collided with and sank the LAKE ERIE before striking a bar and sinking herself in the Manistique River.
Raised and rebuilt in 1882, she returned to the name ROBERT HOLLAND and changed ownership frequently in the subsequent decades. She sank again in Duluth harbour in 1906 due to a shifting deck load and was salvaged. That same year, she suffered a broken shaft on Lake Superior. Her working life was extended into the 1910s under various owners in Michigan and Chicago.
Final Disposition
On May 11, 1915, the ROBERT HOLLAND caught fire while docked at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The fire destroyed her upper works, and the vessel was declared a total loss. Her enrollment documents were surrendered in Chicago on May 24, 1915.
Located By & Date Found
Nil return. No recorded rediscovery or survey of wreck remains to date.
Notmars & Advisories
- No known obstructions or dive site markers
- Not charted as a known hazard
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Maritime Database – BGSU
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Map Link to Approximate Location – Sturgeon Bay, WI
Suggested Keywords, Categories & Glossary
Keywords: ROBERT HOLLAND, NORTHERN QUEEN, Sturgeon Bay shipwreck, Great Lakes fire loss, steambarge rebuild
Category: Great Lakes Wooden Steambarges / Passenger-Freight Conversions / 19th Century
Glossary:
- Steambarge: A barge propelled by steam, often carrying bulk or package freight
- High-Pressure Engine (HPNC): A compact and efficient steam engine configuration used for propulsion
- Enrollment Surrendered: Legal de-registration of the vessel after total loss
Great! The ROBERT HOLLAND (formerly NORTHERN QUEEN) will be indexed under Lake Michigan wrecks and will be plotted for future mapping and charting purposes. Here’s how she’ll be listed:
Lake Michigan Index Entry:
- ROBERT HOLLAND – Steambarge (ex-NORTHERN QUEEN), 1872, 149.6 ft (45.6 m), Burned May 11, 1915 – Sturgeon Bay, WI
- Map Location