Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: W.H. Gilbert
- Type: Steel Freighter
- Year Built: 1892
- Builder: F. W. Wheeler & Company, West Bay City, Michigan
- Dimensions: Length 328 ft (100 m); Beam 42.5 ft; Depth 20.5 ft
- Registered Tonnage: Gross Tonnage: 2,820 tons; Net Tonnage: 2,002 tons
- Location: 15 miles off Thunder Bay Island
- Official Number: U.S. Registry No. 81382
- Original Owners: Empire Transit Company; Pittsburgh Steamship Company; Lakewood Steamship Company
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The W.H. Gilbert was a steel-hulled freighter designed to carry bulk cargo such as iron ore across the Great Lakes. Built by the renowned shipbuilders F. W. Wheeler & Company, the vessel was equipped with a powerful triple-expansion engine that made her one of the fastest freighters of her time. Her impressive dimensions and tonnage reflected the industrial scale of Great Lakes shipping during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Description
The W.H. Gilbert was a significant addition to the fleet controlled by the Wolvin interests of Duluth. As a Silver Stacker within the Pittsburgh Steamship Company fleet after 1901, she spent over a decade transporting iron ore and other bulk materials vital to the industrial economy of the United States. In 1913, the vessel was sold to the Lakewood Steamship Company, a subsidiary of Hutchinson in Cleveland, Ohio. Despite her change in ownership, the W.H. Gilbert continued to serve as a workhorse of the Great Lakes, moving vast quantities of ore and other cargo between ports.
History
On May 22, 1914, the W.H. Gilbert met her tragic end when she collided with the freighter Caldera 15 miles off Thunder Bay Island in Lake Huron. The collision was severe enough to result in the sinking of the W.H. Gilbert, marking the end of her 22-year service on the Great Lakes.
Significant Incidents
- Collision with the freighter Caldera on May 22, 1914, leading to the sinking of the W.H. Gilbert.
Final Disposition
The exact location of the wreck is known, though specific GPS coordinates are not provided. Given the historical significance and the details of the collision, the wreck likely lies at the bottom of Lake Huron, serving as a grave marker for this once powerful freighter.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck of the W.H. Gilbert is an important site for maritime historians and divers interested in the history of Great Lakes shipping. Further exploration and documentation of the wreck could provide additional insights into the circumstances of her sinking and the broader context of early 20th-century Great Lakes navigation.
Resources & Links
References are being reviewed for this wreck.
The W.H. Gilbert was a symbol of the industrial might that characterized Great Lakes shipping in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Her sinking after a collision with the Caldera underscores the dangers that even the most powerful ships faced on these inland seas. Today, the wreck of the W.H. Gilbert is a poignant reminder of the risks and challenges of Great Lakes navigation.