Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: SS Superior City
- Type: Steel-hulled Great Lakes bulk freighter (ore carrier)
- Year Built: 1898
- Builder: Cleveland Ship Building Co.
- Dimensions: 429–450 ft × 50 ft × 25 ft; ~4,795 gross tons
- Registered Tonnage: ~7,600 tons
- Depth at Wreck Site: 81 m / 265 ft
- Location: Whitefish Bay, Lake Superior (~4.5–5 miles SE of Whitefish Point)
- Coordinates: Approx. N46°43′, W84°54′
- Official Number: Not located
- Original Owners: Pittsburgh Steamship Co. (subsidiary of U.S. Steel)
- Number of Masts: Not specified
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Steel-hulled Great Lakes bulk freighter designed for transporting iron ore, coal, and grain.
Description
At her 1898 launch, Superior City was one of the largest riveted steel bulk carriers on the Great Lakes. Built for iron ore, coal, and grain transport, she had a forward pilothouse, tall funnel amidships, and massive open holds (no self-unloading gear, which came decades later). She embodied the transition from wood to steel lake freighters, built for industrial efficiency and durability.
History
Service: 1898–1920, in bulk ore and coal service under Pittsburgh Steamship Co.
20 August 1920: Downbound with ~7,600 tons of iron ore. At ~9:10 PM, collided in Whitefish Bay with upbound Willis L. King.
Collision Cause: Navigational confusion — Capt. Edward Sawyer of Superior City gave port-to-port signal; Capt. Nelson of King insisted on starboard-to-starboard (he claimed haze/fog; Sawyer insisted visibility was clear).
Impact: King rammed Superior City’s port midship, crushing hull. Cold lake water rushed into boiler room, causing catastrophic boiler explosion. Vessel split in two and sank in ~2 minutes.
Significant Incidents
- Total aboard: 33 (32 crew + 1 passenger — the 2nd engineer’s wife).
- Fatalities: 29 (28 crew + 1 passenger). Most were killed instantly by the boiler explosion or sucked under by downwash.
- Survivors: 4 — Capt. Sawyer, 2nd Mate G.G. Lehnt, lookout Peter Jacobson, Boatswain Walter Richter.
- Boatswain Richter later recalled: “The King struck us just aft of midship… several of the boats were torn away while the men were trying to launch them.”
Final Disposition
- U.S. Steamboat Inspectors found both captains negligent under navigation “rules of the road” — neither slowed nor clarified signals.
- Loss valuation: Superior City ~$300,000; Willis L. King damages ~$42,500.
- Settlements: Paid by 1923 to families of the lost, considered modest compared to losses.
Current Condition & Accessibility
- Located: 1972 by diver John Steele; documented in 1980s by Tom Farnquist & Gary Shumbarger (GLSHS).
- Condition: Bow upright with pilothouse intact; stern tilted 45°; midsection obliterated by boiler explosion.
- Artifacts: Personal effects and human remains observed. 1980s artifact removal (jewelry, ship’s telegraph) caused legal disputes; now state property.
- Protection: Within Whitefish Point Underwater Preserve. Removal/disturbance prohibited under Michigan law.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”ss-superior-city-1898″ title=”References & Links”]
The Superior City disaster remains one of the deadliest Great Lakes shipwrecks, symbolizing the risks of early steel freighter operations. Its loss revealed flaws in communication rules and whistle-signal reliance, pushing navigation reforms. Today, it is preserved as both a maritime grave and a stark historical lesson — a silent steel monument lying in Whitefish Bay.
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
Other Names: —
Official Number: Not located
Type: Steel-hulled Great Lakes bulk freighter (ore carrier)
Built: April 13, 1898, Cleveland Ship Building Co. (later American Ship Building Co.), Lorain, Ohio
Owner: Pittsburgh Steamship Co. (subsidiary of U.S. Steel)
Dimensions: 429–450 ft × 50 ft × 25 ft; ~4,795 gross tons
Propulsion: Coal-fired Scotch boilers; reciprocating steam engine
Cargo (final voyage): ~7,600 tons of iron ore (Two Harbors, MN → Lake Erie)
Date Lost: 20 August 1920 (~9:10 PM)
Loss Location: Whitefish Bay, Lake Superior (~4.5–5 miles SE of Whitefish Point)
Coordinates: Approx. N46°43′, W84°54′ (Preserve reference)
Depth: 190–265 ft (58–81 m)
Vessel Description
At her 1898 launch, Superior City was one of the largest riveted steel bulk carriers on the Great Lakes. Built for iron ore, coal, and grain transport, she had a forward pilothouse, tall funnel amidships, and massive open holds (no self-unloading gear, which came decades later). She embodied the transition from wood to steel lake freighters, built for industrial efficiency and durability.
History & Final Voyage
- Service: 1898–1920, in bulk ore and coal service under Pittsburgh Steamship Co.
- 20 August 1920: Downbound with ~7,600 tons of iron ore. At ~9:10 PM, collided in Whitefish Bay with upbound Willis L. King.
- Collision Cause: Navigational confusion — Capt. Edward Sawyer of Superior City gave port-to-port signal; Capt. Nelson of King insisted on starboard-to-starboard (he claimed haze/fog; Sawyer insisted visibility was clear).
- Impact: King rammed Superior City’s port midship, crushing hull. Cold lake water rushed into boiler room, causing catastrophic boiler explosion. Vessel split in two and sank in ~2 minutes.
Casualties & Survivors
- Total aboard: 33 (32 crew + 1 passenger — the 2nd engineer’s wife).
- Fatalities: 29 (28 crew + 1 passenger). Most were killed instantly by the boiler explosion or sucked under by downwash.
- Survivors: 4 — Capt. Sawyer, 2nd Mate G.G. Lehnt, lookout Peter Jacobson, Boatswain Walter Richter.
- Boatswain Richter later recalled: “The King struck us just aft of midship… several of the boats were torn away while the men were trying to launch them.”
Legal Inquiry & Aftermath
- U.S. Steamboat Inspectors found both captains negligent under navigation “rules of the road” — neither slowed nor clarified signals.
- Loss valuation: Superior City ~$300,000; Willis L. King damages ~$42,500.
- Settlements: Paid by 1923 to families of the lost, considered modest compared to losses.
Discovery & Condition
- Located: 1972 by diver John Steele; documented in 1980s by Tom Farnquist & Gary Shumbarger (GLSHS).
- Condition: Bow upright with pilothouse intact; stern tilted 45°; midsection obliterated by boiler explosion.
- Artifacts: Personal effects and human remains observed. 1980s artifact removal (jewelry, ship’s telegraph) caused legal disputes; now state property.
- Protection: Within Whitefish Point Underwater Preserve. Removal/disturbance prohibited under Michigan law.
Dive Access & Hazards
- Depth: 190–265 ft; technical/mixed-gas divers only.
- Hazards: Near-freezing water (39°F), poor visibility, unstable wreckage. Enclosed areas dangerous.
- Diver fatalities recorded (incl. 2001 case of decompression illness).
Significance
The Superior City disaster remains one of the deadliest Great Lakes shipwrecks, symbolizing the risks of early steel freighter operations. Its loss revealed flaws in communication rules and whistle-signal reliance, pushing navigation reforms. Today, it is preserved as both a maritime grave and a stark historical lesson — a silent steel monument lying in Whitefish Bay.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society
- Wikipedia: SS Superior City
- US Deadly Events archive
- Thieves River: Great Lakes Shipwrecks
- Perdurabo Shipwreck Accounts
- Cleveland Ship Building Co. history
Tags & Categories
Tags: Superior City, Lake Superior ore carrier, Whitefish Bay wreck, Pittsburgh Steamship, Great Lakes disasters, 1920 collision
Categories: Steel Freighters, Collision Losses, Whitefish Point Preserve, Technical Dive Wrecks
NOAA / WHS Shipwreck Record Card
Official Number: Not located
Coordinates: ~N46°43′, W84°54′ (Whitefish Bay, Michigan)
Depth: 190–265 ft (58–81 m)
Vessel Type: Steel bulk freighter (ore carrier)
Material: Riveted steel
Year Built: 1898, Cleveland Ship Building Co.
Owner: Pittsburgh Steamship Co. (U.S. Steel)
Propulsion: Coal-fired boilers, triple-expansion steam engine
Cargo: ~7,600 tons iron ore
Crew / Fatalities: 33 aboard; 29 lost; 4 survived
Cause of Loss: Collision with SS Willis L. King; boiler explosion; sank in ~2 minutes (20 Aug 1920)
Condition: Bow upright, stern tilted; midsection destroyed; remains and artifacts present
Discovery: 1972, John Steele & GLSHS
Protection: Michigan’s Whitefish Point Underwater Preserve; artifact removal prohibited
Hazards: Deep, cold water; mixed-gas only; wreck instability; prior diver fatalities
Permits: Required under Michigan law