Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Oswegatchie
  • Type: Wooden-hulled steam-driven lumber tow Steamer
  • Built: 1867 (General dimensions and registry records scarce)

Cargo & Voyage Details

  • Reported carrying lumber, under tow by the Steamer for parts of her journey
  • Barges Under Tow: A. J. McBrier, N. P. Goodell, and Huron
  • Route: Bound from Alpena to Detroit

Final Disposition

Wreck & Site Condition

  • Tow barges lost their connection; likely scuttled or Abandoned
  • No evidence of surviving Hull; presumed waterlogged wooden structure now collapsed on lakebed
  • Coordinates exist in NOAA Thunder Bay listings under “Oswegatchie propeller 1867 11‑26‑1891” (nmsthunderbay.blob.core.windows.net)
  • No side-scan or dive survey data publicly documented

Notices & Advisories

  • Listed in sanctuary archives as probable wreck in Thunder Bay region (nmsthunderbay.blob.core.windows.net)
  • No contemporary Notices to Mariners found, likely due to remote site and weather timing

Research & Archival Gaps

  • Construction Details: Dimensions, official number, and registry archive still needed
  • Crew Names & Logs: Likely reported in Alpena/Detroit newspapers Nov–Dec 1891
  • Tow Logs: Steamer’s logs may outline the storm encounter and towing circumstances
  • Wreck Survey: Side-scan sonar or remotely operated vehicle (ROV) search could confirm remains at Yankee Reef

Conclusion

Oswegatchie met her fate in a violent November storm on Lake Huron, foundering after tow lines parted off Yankee Reef. While the crew escaped, several suffered frostbite in the icy onslaught. Her wooden Hull almost certainly disintegrated, leaving wreckage on the lakebed. Limited archival data exists, but NOAA files and local reportage may yield deeper context. A dedicated underwater survey would be invaluable to establish location, condition, and any artifact presence.

Keywords & Categories

1867 propeller, lumber Steamer, Lake Huron storm loss, tow Steamer, frostbite incidents, Yankee Reef wreck, NOAA Thunder Bay archive site