Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: St. Lawrence
• Type: Wooden-hulled propeller vessel
• Year Built: 1848
• Builder: George S. Weeks
• Dimensions: Length: 125.3 ft (38.2 m); Beam: 25.4 ft (7.7 m); Depth of hold: 10.6 ft (3.2 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 336.115 tons (old system)
• Location: Near Cardinal, Ontario
• Official Number: C33474
• Original Owners: M.W. Browne, Hamilton, Ontario (original owner); later acquired by Moses & E.G. Merrick

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The St. Lawrence was a single-deck wooden propeller steamer, built to meet the growing grain trade demands across the Great Lakes. The switch from paddlewheel to screw propulsion marked a significant advance in performance and efficiency. With her relatively broad beam and moderate draught, she was tailored for long-haul cargo runs from Oswego to ports like Chicago and Montreal.

Description

The St. Lawrence was a wooden-hulled vessel designed for the grain trade, showcasing advancements in maritime technology of the 19th century. Her construction allowed for efficient transport across the Great Lakes, adapting to the demands of the growing economy.

History

• 1848: Commissioned at Oswego, NY; began service in the grain trade.
• 1850: Acquired by Moses & E.G. Merrick (Oswego).
• 1851: Collided with brig Pilgrim in the Detroit River.
• 1852: Sold to Canadian interests; re-registered and lengthened.
• 1855: Grounded at Niagara River mouth.
• 1858: Damaged while running the rapids of the St. Lawrence River.
• 1867: Sank in the St. Lawrence River; later raised and repaired.
• 1878 (August): Holed near Point Pelee on Lake Erie, refloated again.
• 1878 (October 19): Destroyed by fire near Cardinal, Ontario — total loss.

Significant Incidents

• 1851: Collision with brig Pilgrim in the Detroit River.
• 1855: Grounding at Niagara River mouth.
• 1858: Damage while navigating the St. Lawrence River rapids.
• 1867: Sank in the St. Lawrence River, later raised.
• 1878: Holed near Point Pelee, subsequently refloated.
• 1878: Fire near Cardinal, Ontario leading to total loss.

Final Disposition

Despite surviving numerous incidents, St. Lawrence met its final end in a dockside or near-shore fire in Cardinal, Ontario, on October 19, 1878. Efforts to refloat and repair her following the Point Pelee grounding just months earlier proved futile when fire consumed the hull.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The exact site of the burned-out remains near Cardinal has not been definitively charted. There is no reported modern survey or formal dive record. Her final position may lie beneath sediments near the old canal system.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”st-lawrence-c-33474″ title=”References & Links”]

The St. Lawrence was emblematic of early propeller-powered commercial steamers on the inland seas of North America. From her birth in Oswego to her final resting place in Ontario, she reflected the technological transition and operational hazards of 19th-century shipping. Her fire-induced destruction in 1878 concluded a dramatic and incident-filled career.