Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Seagull
- Type: Wooden propeller vessel
- Year Built: 1864
- Builder: J. Simpson
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Tawas City, Lake Huron, Michigan
- Official Number: 23526
- Number of Masts: Two-masted schooner, later converted
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden Propeller Vessel – Lake Huron, at Tawas City, Michigan
Description
Seagull began life as a wooden two-masted schooner built in Ontario. Later fitted with a propeller engine, she adapted to evolving late 19th-century Great Lakes freight operations, including hauling ice. Her moderate size and mixed heritage reflect the transitional vessel types of that era.
History
- Construction & Conversion: Built in 1864 in Oakville; later converted from sail to steam propulsion (propeller configuration).
- Operational Use: Carried ice and other light freight on Lake Huron, frequently visiting ports such as Tawas City.
- Incident Details: On 5 July 1890, while moored at dock, a fire began onboard and spread rapidly to shore installations and lumber mills. The burning vessel drifted uncontrolled, igniting multiple structures before beaching and burning out. One crew member perished in the conflagration.
Significant Incidents
- Date of Loss: 5 July 1890
- Location: At dock, Tawas City, Lake Huron
- Cargo: Ice
- Casualties: One life lost
- Cause: A shipboard fire ignited, spilled onto adjacent dock and mills; vessel burned to total loss; drifted ablaze setting more structures aflame before finally stranding ashore and burning out.
Final Disposition
Seagull was declared a total loss. The vessel burned completely, and much of the waterfront infrastructure at Tawas City—including docks and lumber yards—was likewise destroyed. The hull drifted ashore and ceased to exist as a navigable vessel.
Current Condition & Accessibility
- Recovery: No submerged remains believed extant; destruction was total and occurred in shallow port waters.
- Visibility: Historic reports do not indicate any salvage dive site; likely removed or destroyed in situ.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”seagull-cus-23526″ title=”References & Links”]
The Seagull, an 1864 wooden propeller vessel originally built as a schooner, burned to a total loss at Tawas City, Michigan on 5 July 1890, while carrying ice. The fire triggered a larger conflagration ashore, destroying docks, mills, and infrastructure. One life was lost. The vessel drifted ashore and burned out in full. While no physical wreck remains for diving or archaeological survey, the event is historically notable in Lake Huron’s maritime fire losses.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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