Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Shenango No. 1
- Type: Wooden railroad car ferry (propeller-driven)
- Year Built: 1895
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: St. Marys River, near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan/Ontario border
- Original Owners: Shenango Furnace Company
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Shenango No. 1 was a wooden-hulled railroad car ferry, designed to transport entire rail cars across the lakes, linking Great Lakes ports with connecting rail lines.
Description
She featured a broad beam to accommodate rail tracks, a steam engine for propulsion, and a reinforced wooden hull for ice navigation, though icebreaking capacity was limited compared to later steel ferries. The vessel had two decks: a lower deck for rail cars and an upper deck for crew and passengers.
History
Launched in 1895, the Shenango No. 1 worked routes between Lake Superior and Lake Michigan ports. In January 1904, during a particularly severe winter, she became locked in the ice on the St. Marys River while on a routine run carrying rail rolling stock. Immobilized for weeks, she was trapped in shifting pack ice with limited options to break free.
On 11 March 1904, a fire broke out aboard, possibly caused by the onboard heating systems or galley equipment being pushed too hard during the ice entrapment. With the ship still stuck in thick ice, the fire spread rapidly, consuming the wooden superstructure and destroying the ship. Two crew members died in the fire, while others escaped across the ice.
Significant Incidents
- Fire broke out on 11 March 1904, leading to the loss of the vessel.
- Two crew fatalities reported due to the fire.
Final Disposition
Total constructive loss by fire, while immobilized in ice; no salvage documented.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No confirmed modern dive or sonar location of the wreck has been recorded, though some remains could potentially still exist under river sediments.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”shenango-no-1-1895″ title=”References & Links”]
The Shenango No. 1 represents one of the most dramatic ice-and-fire losses in Great Lakes railroad ferry history, demonstrating the high risks of winter navigation in wooden-hulled ferries. Her destruction in March 1904 effectively marked the end of her service and highlighted the vulnerability of wooden car ferries in severe winters.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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