1850
1850: CHAUTAUQUE (wooden sidewheel steamer, 124 feet, 162 tons, built in 1839 at Buffalo, New York) caught fire in the St. Clair River and burned to a total loss. In previous years, she had been driven ashore in 1844 and sank twice — once in 1846, and again in 1848. In September 1846, she made the newspaper by purposely ramming a schooner that blocked her path while she was attempting to leave the harbor at Monroe, Michigan.
1856
1856: BRUNSWICK (wooden propeller, 164 feet, 512 tons, built in 1853 at Buffalo, New York) was carrying corn, scrap iron, and lard from Chicago when she sprang a leak in a storm and was abandoned by the crew and passengers. One passenger drowned when one of the boats capsized, but the rest made it to shore near Sleeping Bear in the three other boats. BRUNSWICK went down in 50 fathoms of water 6 miles south of South Manitou Island on Lake Michigan.
1865
1865: METEOR met her running mate, the propeller PEWABIC, off Thunder Bay on Lake Huron around 9 p.m. As the two approached, somehow METEOR sheered and struck her sister, sinking the PEWABIC within minutes in 180 feet of water. About 125 people went down with her, and 86 others were saved.
1870
1870: ONTONAGON (wooden propeller bulk freighter, 176 feet, 377 tons, built in 1856 at Buffalo, New York by Bidwell & Banta) sank after striking a rock near the Soo. She was initially abandoned, but later that same year she was recovered, repaired, and put back in service. In 1880, she stranded near Fairborn, Ohio, and then 3 years later, she finally met her demise when she was run ashore on Stag Island in the St. Clair River and succumbed to fire.
1871
1871: The 204-foot wooden side-wheeler CUMBERLAND was launched at Melancthon Simpson’s yard in Port Robinson, Ontario. She cost $101,000. Too large for the Welland Canal, she was towed up the Welland River to Chippewa and then up the Niagara River to Lake Erie. She operated on the upper lakes and carried soldiers to put down the Red River Rebellion. She survived being frozen in for the winter near Sault Ste. Marie in 1872, grounding in 1873, sinking in 1874, and another grounding in 1876. However, she finally sank near Isle Royale on Lake Superior in 1877.
1875
1875: The Port Huron Times reported that the schooner HERO, while attempting to enter the piers at Holland, Michigan, was driven 2 miles to leeward and went to pieces. Her crew took to the boats, but the boats capsized. Luckily all made it safely to shore.
1909
1909: The G.A. TOMLINSON (Hull #370) entered service. Renamed b.) HENRY R. PLATT JR in 1959. Hull was used as a breakwall at Burlington Bay, Ontario, in 1971.
1910
1910: The Eastland Navigation Company placed a half-page advertisement in both the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Cleveland Leader offering $5,000 to anyone who could substantiate rumors that the excursion steamer EASTLAND was unsafe. No one claimed the reward.
1938
1938: The Pere Marquette car ferries 17 and 18 left Milwaukee for Grand Haven carrying 600 United States Army personnel, bound for war maneuvers near Allegan and at Camp Custer.
1942
1942: The sea-going tug POINT SUR was launched at Globe Shipbuilding Co. in Superior, Wisconsin, and the Walter Butler Shipbuilders, also in Superior, launched the coastal freighter WILLIAM BURSLEY.
1963
1963: The HAMILDOC (Hull #642) was christened.
1968
1968: Labrador Steamships agreed to sell POINTE NOIRE to Upper Lakes Shipping. The vessel was operated by U.L.S. on charter until the sale was approved.
1969
1969: The SIR THOMAS SHAUGHNESSY, with the former CSL steamer ASHCROFT in tow of the Polish tug JANTAR, arrived in Castellon, Spain, for scrapping.
1978
1978: The keel was laid for the INDIANA HARBOR (Hull #719) at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, by Bay Shipbuilding Co. for Connecticut Bank & Trust Co. (American Steamship Co., manager).
1989
1989: The tug FAIRPLAY IX departed Sorel with the FORT CHAMBLY and NIPIGON BAY in tandem tow bound for Aliaga, Turkey, for scrapping.
Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Jody L. Aho, Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit. Compiled by Roger LeLievre.