St. Mary (1857)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: ST. MARY
• Type: Propeller Steamship
• Year Built: 1857
• Builder: Unknown (typical for mid-19th century propellers on the upper lakes)
• Dimensions: Approx. 150–170 ft (estimated); Beam; Depth of hold
• Registered Tonnage:
• Location: Port Huron, Michigan, dock area
• Official Number: Not recorded
• Original Owners: Banks & Sutherland, Port Huron, Michigan

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The ST. MARY was a wooden-hulled Great Lakes propeller steamship, built in 1857, used for general freight and passenger transport on the upper lakes. She belonged to a common class of versatile propeller-driven wooden steamers that dominated regional trade in the 1850s–1870s, supporting commerce through varied cargoes and schedules.

Description

ST. MARY had a routine operational career under various owners before ending up with Banks & Sutherland of Port Huron. Her service would have included transporting grain, lumber, general merchandise, and passengers along Lake Huron and connected waterways. She operated for nearly three decades without major recorded mishaps until her destruction.

On December 1, 1885, the ST. MARY caught fire while tied up at a Port Huron dock. The fire spread rapidly through her wooden hull and superstructure, and she burned to the waterline. Eventually, the hull settled and sank alongside the dock, leaving her a total constructive loss. There were no casualties reported, and no significant salvage is recorded.

History

Burned to a total loss and sank at the Port Huron dock on December 1, 1885. Declared a total wreck, with no subsequent rebuilding or reuse.

Significant Incidents

• December 1, 1885: Caught fire while tied up at Port Huron dock, leading to total loss.

Final Disposition

Burned to a total loss and sank at the Port Huron dock on December 1, 1885. Declared a total wreck, with no subsequent rebuilding or reuse.

Current Condition & Accessibility

It is likely that no trace remains, as harbor cleanup and development in Port Huron would have removed or buried any surviving hull material.

Resources & Links

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The ST. MARY is a typical example of the many wooden propeller steamships of the mid-19th century whose careers ended through fire, a persistent hazard for such vessels. Her loss at Port Huron marks yet another chapter in the volatile story of early Great Lakes steam navigation.