Shotline Diving

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Two Sisters (Twin Sisters) US 212527

Explore the history of the Two Sisters, a wooden tug lost to fire in 1921, with no known wreckage remaining.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Two Sisters
  • Type: Wooden propeller tug (originally built as a fishing tug)
  • Year Built: 1914
  • Builder: St. James, Michigan
  • Dimensions: Length: 44 ft (13.4 m); Beam: 14 ft (4.3 m); Depth: 6 ft (1.8 m)
  • Registered Tonnage: 16 GT
  • Location: Tonawanda Creek, Lake Erie
  • Official Number: 212527
  • Original Owners: Ira Rose of Dunkirk, New York; Cowles Shipyard Co. of Buffalo, New York

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Two Sisters was a wooden propeller tug, originally built for fishing purposes.

Description

The Two Sisters was a small wooden fishing tug, built in 1914 in St. James, Michigan. She was originally owned by Ira Rose of Dunkirk, New York, and operated in commercial fishing on the Great Lakes.

Later in her career, she was converted for use as a general-purpose tugboat and was acquired by Cowles Shipyard Co. of Buffalo, New York. By 1920, she was out of active service and undergoing repairs, with the intention of returning to work in 1921.

History

Throughout her service, the Two Sisters played a role in the commercial fishing industry on the Great Lakes before transitioning to a tugboat role. Her operational history reflects the changes in maritime needs and the evolution of vessel use in the region.

Significant Incidents

  • August 30, 1921: The Two Sisters was undergoing final repairs at the dock in Tonawanda Creek when a lightning strike ignited a fire near her location.
  • The fire spread rapidly, consuming the wooden vessel.
  • Firefighters were unable to effectively combat the flames due to her position at the dock, and she burned to the waterline.
  • The tug Doughboy, moored alongside her, also caught fire and was destroyed in the same incident.
  • No lives were lost during this incident.

Final Disposition

The Two Sisters was a total loss, burned to the waterline. There is no record of salvage or recovery, and no modern discovery of wreckage has been confirmed.

Current Condition & Accessibility

As there are no known remains of the Two Sisters, the site does not present any navigational hazards today.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”two-sisters-twin-sisters-us-212527″ title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]

The Two Sisters was a small yet hardworking fishing tug that later became a harbor tug before her destruction by fire in 1921. Despite efforts to restore her to service, an unfortunate lightning strike sealed her fate. With no known remains, her loss is one of many minor but significant maritime incidents on Lake Erie.

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.

Propeller Tug Two Sisters (a.k.a. Twin Sisters)

Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Two Sisters (also recorded as Twin Sisters)
  • Other Names: None
  • Official Number: 212527
  • Vessel Type at Loss: Wooden propeller tug (originally built as a fishing tug)
  • Builder: St. James, Michigan
  • Year Built & Launched: 1914
  • Specifications: Length: 44 ft (13.4 m) Beam: 14 ft (4.3 m) Depth: 6 ft (1.8 m)
    • Gross Tonnage: 16 GT
    • Net Tonnage: 8 NT
  • Date Lost: August 30, 1921
  • Location of Loss: Tonawanda Creek, Lake Erie
  • Cause of Loss: Fire (caused by lightning strike)
  • Loss of Life: None
  • Cargo at Time of Loss: None (under repair at dock)

Vessel Description & History

The Two Sisters was a small wooden fishing tug, built in 1914 in St. James, Michigan. She was originally owned by Ira Rose of Dunkirk, New York, and operated in commercial fishing on the Great Lakes.

Later in her career, she was converted for use as a general-purpose tugboat and was acquired by Cowles Shipyard Co. of Buffalo, New York. By 1920, she was out of active service and undergoing repairs, with the intention of returning to work in 1921.

Final Incident & Loss

On August 30, 1921, while Two Sisters was undergoing final repairs at the dock in Tonawanda Creek, a lightning strike ignited a fire near her location. The fire spread rapidly, consuming the wooden vessel.

Due to her position at the dock, firefighters were unable to effectively combat the flames, and she burned to the waterline.

The tug Doughboy, which was moored alongside her, also caught fire and was destroyed in the same incident.

Fortunately, no lives were lost.

Final Disposition & Salvage

  • Total loss; burned to the waterline.
  • No record of salvage or recovery.
  • No modern discovery of wreckage.

Located By & Date Found

No confirmed discovery of wreckage.

Notmars & Advisories

No known navigational hazards related to this vessel exist today.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The Two Sisters was a small yet hardworking fishing tug that later became a harbor tug before her destruction by fire in 1921. Despite efforts to restore her to service, an unfortunate lightning strike sealed her fate. With no known remains, her loss is one of many minor but significant maritime incidents on Lake Erie.

two-sisters-twin-sisters-us-212527 1921-08-30 07:55:00