Identification & Site Information

Vessel Type

A steam Barge—designed to haul bulk freight like lumber while towing additional barges (consorts), typical of mid-19th-century Great Lakes steam commerce.

Description

The Galena measured 193 ft in length and displaced 709 gross tons. She featured a wooden Hull and steam propulsion, built for heavy timber transport. Her structure allowed for towing smaller barges in addition to carrying lumber within her hold—maximizing freight efficiency. (nmsthunderbay.blob.core.windows.net, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)

History

Commissioned in 1857 during an economic surge in Great Lakes timber transport, Galena carried lumber from northeastern Michigan sawmills to Chicago and other industrial centers. On 25 September 1872, during a storm in Thunder Bay near North Point Reef, the vessel ran hard aground on the reef. The violent impact and high seas caused rapid structural failure, breaking her into scattered wreckage. All crew aboard perished—no one survived. (thunderbay.noaa.gov)

Final Disposition

The shipwreck remains scattered across North Point Reef. Debris is intermingled with other wrecks in the reef’s shallow waters (about 5–16 ft / 1.5–5 m deep). Her machinery was partly salvaged, and other wreckage lay in place for decades thereafter. (nmsthunderbay.blob.core.windows.net)

Located By & Date Found

Identified and documented during NOAA and Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary surveys in the early 2000s. The wrecksite is visible today with components like boiler parts, framing timbers, and other structural remains scattered across the reef. (nmsthunderbay.blob.core.windows.net)

Notations & Advisories

North Point Reef is a well-known shallow-water hazard—too many wrecks deposited there. The Galena site is marked in maps of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and is occasionally dived by experienced teams monitoring structural stabilization and reef ecology. Navigators have long avoided the reef due to these wrecks. (thunderbay.noaa.gov)

Resources & Links

  • NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary – overview of Galena wreck 
  • Sanctuary condition reports detailing the steam Barge wreckage at North Point (sanctuaries.noaa.gov)
  • NOAA shipwrecks list (Wikipedia) – Galena entry and GPS coordinates (45.007667 N, –83.249833 W) (en.wikipedia.org)

Conclusion

The Galena stands as a poignant example of steam-Barge lumber trade gone awry. Her deadly grounding in 1872 claimed the lives of all aboard and added to the storied history of North Point Reef wrecks. Her remains, preserved in shallow water, are now part of an underwater museum attracting researchers and offering insights into maritime technology, cargo transport, and Great Lakes storm hazards.

Suggested Keywords: steam Barge, lumber transport, North Point Reef wreck, Thunder Bay diving site, 1872 storm loss
Categories:

  • Great Lakes shipwrecks
  • Lake Huron wrecks
  • steam cargo vessels
  • mass-loss storm wrecks