Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

W.D. Flushing

Explore the remains of the W.D. Flushing, a tugboat intentionally sunk off Cleveland, Ohio, offering insights into early harbor engineering practices.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: W.D. Flushing
  • Type: tugboat
  • Year Built:
  • Builder:
  • Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
  • Registered Tonnage:
  • Depth at Wreck Site: 15 m / 50 ft
  • Location: Approximately 5 miles off Cleveland’s shoreline

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Likely a steam-powered wooden-hulled tug, typical of Great Lakes harbor work in the late 19th century—assisting in towing barges, moving vessels in port, and salvage duties.

Specific dimensions, construction yard, and build date remain undocumented in primary-register searches.

Description

The W.D. Flushing was stripped of all valuable fittings and machinery before being intentionally sunk as a hulk in approximately 50 feet (15 m) of water, about 5 miles off Cleveland, Ohio.

History

The Buffalo Morning Express reported on April 13, 1900, that the vessel was deliberately stripped of everything of value before being sunk as a temporary breakwater or for derelict disposal.

Purpose-built hulking typically served as navigational obstruction control or to form wave protection reefs near harbor entrances.

Significant Incidents

  • The Buffalo Morning Express indicates a deliberate stripping of the vessel before sinking.
  • Purpose-built hulking typically served as navigational obstruction control or to form wave protection reefs near harbor entrances.

Final Disposition

The W.D. Flushing was stripped and sunk, likely retaining its hull structure with minimal deck superstructure remaining. No recorded dive surveys or detailed site investigations have been documented.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck is reported to be in a stripped condition, likely retaining the hull structure but lacking machinery and fittings. The site is approximately 50 feet deep, and no detailed surveys have been conducted.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”w-d-flushing” title=”References & Links”]

The W.D. Flushing represents a regrettably undocumented but typical Great Lakes harbor disposal practice of the early 20th century. Archival retrieval of the original newspaper and harbor commission records is essential for confirming her identity and condition. A focused underwater survey could document her remains, contributing to Cleveland’s submerged cultural heritage inventory.

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

  • Vessel name: W.D. Flushing (tugboat)
  • Fate: Stripped of all valuable fittings and machinery, intentionally sunk as a hulk in 50 ft (15 m) of water, 5 miles off Cleveland, Ohio
  • Date: Reported in Buffalo Morning Express, 13 April 1900 (pp. 3–4)

Vessel Type & Purpose

  • Likely a steam-powered wooden-hulled tug, typical of Great Lakes harbor work in the late 19th century—assisting in towing barges, moving vessels in port, and salvage duties
  • Specific dimensions, construction yard, and build date remain undocumented in primary-register searches

Circumstances Leading to Sinking

  • The Buffalo Morning Express indicates a deliberate stripping (“stripped of everything of value”) before sinking as a temporary breakwater or derelict disposal
  • Purpose-built hulking typically served as navigational obstruction control or to form wave protection reefs near harbor entrances

Wreck & Site Information

  • Location: Approximately 5 miles off Cleveland’s shoreline, Lake Erie, resting in ~50 ft (15 m) of water
  • Condition: Stripped hulk—likely retains hull structure with minimal deck superstructure, machinery, fittings removed
  • No recorded dive surveys or detailed site investigation documented

Research Gaps & Recommendations

  • Archival Verification
    • Locate the 13 April 1900 Buffalo Morning Express (digital archives or local libraries) to confirm details (including author, wording, possible coordinates)
    • Check Cleveland Harbor Commission records or U.S. Corps of Engineers disposal logs for authorization or operational notes
  • Technical & Structural Research
    • Verify enrollment records through U.S. Customs/Coast Guard archives around 1900
    • Search builder and registration databases (e.g., Great Lakes Vessel Database) for matching “W.D. Flushing”
  • Site Survey Proposal
    • Modern geophysical survey (side-scan sonar or magnetometer) targeting the wreck site to assess hull integrity
    • Remote dive and documentation—preliminarily accessible in 50 ft—allowing structure mapping

Conservation & Heritage Value

  • Hulks such as the W.D. Flushing offer insight into early harbor engineering practices—particularly derelict sinking for wave-breaking or dredge fill
  • The stripped hull may serve as artificial reef; potential habitat survey could complement structural assessment

Source & Evidence

  • Summary from Buffalo Morning Express, 13 April 1900, reporting scuttling after stripping valuable gear
  • No other corroborating digital sources were located in web searches (wisconsinshipwrecks.org, ebid.net)

Conclusion & Next Steps

The W.D. Flushing represents a regrettably undocumented but typical Great Lakes harbor disposal practice of the early 20th century. To confirm her identity and condition, archival retrieval of the original newspaper and harbor commission records is essential. A focused underwater survey could document her remains, contributing to Cleveland’s submerged cultural heritage inventory.

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