Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Thomas H. Cahoon
- Type: Wooden Schooner-Barge
- Year Built: 1881
- Builder: T. Arnold, East Saginaw, Michigan
- Dimensions: Length 166 ft (50.6 m); Beam 31 ft (9.4 m); Depth of hold 10 ft (3 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 437 tons
- Depth at Wreck Site: 8 m / 25 ft
- Location: Kenney Shoal, North Channel, Lake Huron
- Coordinates: 46° 05.067′ N, 082° 12.208′ W
- Official Number: Not confirmed in existing records
- Original Owners: L.P. Mason & Co.; Midland Transportation Co., Ltd.
- Number of Masts: Three masts
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Schooner-barges were a common sight on the Great Lakes during the height of the lumber trade. These vessels were built with the capacity to carry vast amounts of bulk cargo — particularly timber and lumber — while being towed by steamers to increase efficiency. The Thomas H. Cahoon had three masts and a single deck, optimized to haul as much as 800,000 board feet of lumber during peak voyages.
Description
Built in 1881 by T. Arnold in East Saginaw, Michigan, the Thomas H. Cahoon served as a critical workhorse in the bustling lumber trade that shaped much of the industrial growth around the Great Lakes. Originally owned by L.P. Mason & Co., she carried raw timber from logging camps along the shores of Michigan, Ontario, and beyond to processing centres along the lakes.
Over her 32-year career, the Cahoon endured numerous incidents that highlight the inherent dangers of early Great Lakes shipping.
- In 1892, she lost a deck load of 2,000 board feet of lumber off Sauble Point, Lake Michigan.
- In 1898, she collided with Whaleback Barge #137 in Lake St. Clair, sending the smaller vessel to the bottom. Though damaged, the Cahoon was salvaged and returned to service.
- Ownership changed several times, and in 1913, she was sold to Midland Transportation Co., Ltd., a Canadian company based in Ontario. This marked the Cahoon’s transition into Canadian service just before her final voyage.
History
The Thomas H. Cahoon met her fate on October 11, 1913 while navigating Georgian Bay, loaded to capacity with 800,000 board feet of lumber. Caught in a powerful autumn gale, the schooner-barge was driven onto Kenney Shoal, just off Innes Island in the North Channel of Lake Huron. The severe seas broke the hull apart, scattering her valuable cargo across the rocky bottom.
Declared a total loss, the Cahoon became one of the many casualties of 1913, a year infamous for destructive Great Lakes storms.
Significant Incidents
- In 1892, she lost a deck load of 2,000 board feet of lumber off Sauble Point, Lake Michigan.
- In 1898, she collided with Whaleback Barge #137 in Lake St. Clair, sending the smaller vessel to the bottom. Though damaged, the Cahoon was salvaged and returned to service.
- Ownership changed several times, and in 1913, she was sold to Midland Transportation Co., Ltd., a Canadian company based in Ontario. This marked the Cahoon’s transition into Canadian service just before her final voyage.
Final Disposition
The Thomas H. Cahoon met her fate on October 11, 1913 while navigating Georgian Bay, loaded to capacity with 800,000 board feet of lumber. Caught in a powerful autumn gale, the schooner-barge was driven onto Kenney Shoal, just off Innes Island in the North Channel of Lake Huron. The severe seas broke the hull apart, scattering her valuable cargo across the rocky bottom.
Declared a total loss, the Cahoon became one of the many casualties of 1913, a year infamous for destructive Great Lakes storms.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Lying in shallow water at approximately 25 feet (8 metres), the Thomas H. Cahoon is heavily broken up, though many recognizable features remain. Sections of her hull, frames, and deck beams are visible, along with piles of decayed lumber, a poignant reminder of her final cargo.
Due to her shallow location, the site is subject to ice scour and seasonal shifting, meaning her remains change over time. Despite this, the Cahoon remains a popular and historically significant dive site.
Resources & Links
References are being reviewed for this wreck.
The wreck of the Thomas H. Cahoon serves as a powerful relic from the era when the Great Lakes were the beating heart of the lumber industry. Her loss, while tragic, preserved a remarkable underwater classroom where divers can literally swim through history. From the wreck itself to the cargo she once carried, the Cahoon offers a rare, tangible connection to the resource economy that helped shape the Great Lakes region.
As both a dive site and a cultural artifact, the Thomas H. Cahoon stands as a testament to the hardships faced by early mariners, and to the economic lifeblood that once flowed through the timber-rich North Channel.