(Wooden Schooner‑Barge, 1868 – 1908)

Identification & Site Information

• Name: T.G. Lester (also recorded as “Thomas G. Lester”)
• Official No.: 59196
• Built: 1868, by T.G. Lester at East Saginaw, MI
• Dimensions: 113 × 26 × 9 ft (205 gross, 191 net tons)
• Final Loss Date: March 30, 1908
• Location: Detroit River, at the foot of 12th Street, Detroit
• Final Use: Employed as a construction Barge during Michigan Central Railroad tunnel construction
• Loss Type: Ice damage, Foundered and sank; subsequently Abandoned in situ—likely buried when the area was later filled (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Vessel Type

A steel‑strapped wooden Schooner‑Barge originally constructed for freight towing, later repurposed in engineering construction use. This reflects typical Great Lakes Barge salvage and reuse practices of the era.

Description

Originally rigged as a small propeller‑Tug Barge, she measured approximately 113 ft in length with modest beam and Draft. In later years, she served as a floating platform (Barge) in civil engineering operations, indicating robust Hull design suited to static usage under load.

History & Operational Record

• Built 1868 at East Saginaw, MI, by a builder bearing her namesake (T.G. Lester) (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
• Served general regional freight hauling in early career
• In 1908, repurposed as a construction Barge during the Michigan Central Railroad tunnel project under contract to Butler Brothers–Hoff Co. (Canada Southern, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
• No earlier wreck incidents documented beyond her repurposed final deployment

Final Disposition

• Loss Event: In late March 1908, ice severed her Hull; she opened her seams and sank on site
• Aftermath: Crew evacuated—the vessel was Abandoned in place
• Post‑Loss Fate: Likely buried when the Detroit riverfront was later filled in during the 1920s, obscuring her remains beneath modern infrastructure (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Located By & Date Found

• No documented modern rediscovery. The Barge remains unlocated; its final site is most likely buried under reclaimed land.

NOTMARs & Advisories

• No Notice to Mariners identified—consistent with her in‑river construction use and final abandonment during redevelopment periods.

Research Gaps & Recommended Follow‑Up

• Engineering & construction archives: Records from the Michigan Central Railroad / Butler Bros.–Hoff Co. may include logs of the accident, crew lists, and positioning data.
• Municipal and port authority archives: History of Detroit shoreline infill projects in the 1920s may reference Abandoned structures or vessels.
• Local newspapers (Detroit, March–April 1908): May contain incident reports, crew statements, or municipal actions regarding the submerged hulk.

Significance & Context

• The T.G. Lester is illustrative of late‑19th century vessel reuse, transitioning from freight Barge to construction platform.
• Her destruction by ice during tunnel construction highlights the hazards of river‑based civil works.
• Although minor in commercial service, she played a role in the engineering expansion of Detroit—her loss nonetheless emblematic of industrial maritime risk.

Summary Table

Resources & References

• Great Lakes Shipwreck Files entry for T.G. Lester, #59196, detailing incident summary and vessel specifications (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, facebook.com)
• Additional institutional sources (Michigan Central Railroad engineering logs, Detroit city development files, historic shoreline restoration records) should be explored to deepen the identification profile.