Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Witch of the West
- Type: Wooden screw tug (towboat)
- Year Built: 1856
- Builder: William Gramp
- Dimensions: Length 59 ft (18.0 m); Beam 13.4 ft (4.1 m); Depth of hold 5 ft (1.5 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 38 tons (old style)
- Depth at Wreck Site: 1.5 m / 5 ft
- Location: Port Huron, Michigan
- Official Number: 26345
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden screw tug (towboat), single-deck, high-pressure steam-powered vessel designed primarily for towing and harbour service.
Description
The Witch of the West was a small, robust wooden tug equipped with a single high-pressure steam engine (16″ x 17″ stroke) and a tubular boiler rated at 100 psi. Dimensions:
- Length: 59 ft (18.0 m)
- Beam: 13.4 ft (4.1 m)
- Depth: 5 ft (1.5 m)
- Tonnage: 38 tons (old style)
She was representative of mid-19th-century American harbour tugs—compact, high-powered for her size, and capable of log rafting and industrial towing.
History
- 1856, Jul 31: First enrollment in Philadelphia, PA.
- 1858: Registered Toledo, OH; regional operations begin.
- 1860–1863: Operated by Miller & Hand, later A. Hand of Toledo.
- 1863, Dec: Sank at wharf in the Maumee River; raised and repaired.
- 1866–1870: Transferred to John O. Woolson in Bay City, MI.
- 1875: Underwent rebuild.
- 1882, Sep: Burned on the Saginaw River while towing a log raft; later repaired.
- 1903, Jun 30: Declared unfit and officially abandoned at Port Huron, MI. Machinery transferred to new vessel named Witch.
Significant Incidents
No significant incidents noted beyond operational history and eventual abandonment.
Final Disposition
- Final Location: Port Huron, Michigan
- Date: 30 June 1903
- How: Abandoned; machinery salvaged and reused in a successor tug
No physical wreck exists; vessel was decommissioned, stripped, and disposed of as unserviceable.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Not applicable. The vessel was retired and dismantled on land.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”witch-of-the-west-us-26345″ title=”References & Links”]
The Witch of the West represents a typical evolution of a 19th-century Great Lakes tug—from a Philadelphia build to Great Lakes service. With over 45 years of documented operation, including salvage, rebuild, and repeated ownership changes, she exemplifies the extended lifecycle and utilitarian role of wooden steam towboats. Her machinery’s reuse underscores common economic practices of the era.
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
- Name(s): Witch of the West
- Official Number: 26345
- Year Built: 1856
- Builder: William Gramp
- Built At: Pettys Island, New Jersey, USA
- Final Status: Abandoned, Port Huron, MI, 30 June 1903
Vessel Type
Wooden screw tug (towboat), single-deck, high-pressure steam-powered vessel designed primarily for towing and harbour service.
Description
The Witch of the West was a small, robust wooden tug equipped with a single high-pressure steam engine (16″ x 17″ stroke) and a tubular boiler rated at 100 psi. Dimensions:
- Length: 59 ft (18.0 m)
- Beam: 13.4 ft (4.1 m)
- Depth: 5 ft (1.5 m)
- Tonnage: 38 tons (old style)
She was representative of mid-19th-century American harbour tugs—compact, high-powered for her size, and capable of log rafting and industrial towing.
History
- 1856, Jul 31: First enrollment in Philadelphia, PA.
- 1858: Registered Toledo, OH; regional operations begin.
- 1860–1863: Operated by Miller & Hand, later A. Hand of Toledo.
- 1863, Dec: Sank at wharf in the Maumee River; raised and repaired.
- 1866–1870: Transferred to John O. Woolson in Bay City, MI.
- 1875: Underwent rebuild.
- 1882, Sep: Burned on the Saginaw River while towing a log raft; later repaired.
- 1903, Jun 30: Declared unfit and officially abandoned at Port Huron, MI. Machinery transferred to new vessel named Witch.
Final Disposition
- Final Location: Port Huron, Michigan
- Date: 30 June 1903
- How: Abandoned; machinery salvaged and reused in a successor tug
No physical wreck exists; vessel was decommissioned, stripped, and disposed of as unserviceable.
Located By & Date Found
Not applicable. The vessel was retired and dismantled on land.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- C. Patrick Labadie Collection
- [National Archives Enrollments (US)]
- Local registries from Philadelphia, Toledo, Bay City, and Port Huron
Conclusion
The Witch of the West represents a typical evolution of a 19th-century Great Lakes tug—from a Philadelphia build to Great Lakes service. With over 45 years of documented operation, including salvage, rebuild, and repeated ownership changes, she exemplifies the extended lifecycle and utilitarian role of wooden steam towboats. Her machinery’s reuse underscores common economic practices of the era.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Tugboat
- Wood hull
- Steam-powered
- 19th-century Great Lakes vessels
- Maumee River
- Saginaw River
- Decommissioned vessels
- Maritime salvage and rebuild practices