Identification & Site Information

Vessel Type & Construction

A mid‑1870s wooden‑hulled bulk freight vessel built with a single screw and auxiliary sail rigging, for transporting grain and other dry bulk goods across the upper Great Lakes and connecting Canadian waters.

Selected History & Incidents

  • 1874 (Aug): Salvaged the propeller of Milwaukee from 105 ft deep after 15 years submerged—testament to the crew’s diving capabilities .
  • 1877: Repaired post‑collision with Schooner Sweetheart near the St Clair River .
  • 1884 (Nov): Went ashore on Manitoulin Island; repaired and returned to service (Goderich).
  • 1897: Collided with and sank Canadian Steamer Lewis Shickluna off Long Point, Lake Erie (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
  • 1898 (Jun): Struck Ripley’s Rock in Marquette harbor, Lake Superior—later salvaged and repaired .

Final Voyages & Wrecks

  • 1901 (May 2): Tecumseh “Foundered” approximately 9 miles off Gore Bay, Ontario—details sparse but indicates sinking at sea (Goderich).
  • 1909 (16 Jan): Final loss by fire while moored for winter in Goderich Harbour, Ontario. The blaze engulfed the moored Hull, burning it to a Total Loss. No lives were lost (Goderich).
  • 1911 (May 6): Local authorities ordered wreck removal from Goderich Harbour, finalizing the site’s abandonment in navigational clearance operations .

Final Disposition

Burned to the waterline and Abandoned in Goderich Harbour in January 1909; subsequently removed by local harbour management by May 1911. Currently, no intact wreck remains.

Located By & Wreck Status

The Goderich Harbour burning in 1909 is well‑documented, yet no underwater wreck remains exist in situ. Debris was likely scrap‑recovered or cleared during municipal harbour maintenance.

NOTMARs & Harbor Advisories

No Notices to Mariners issued. The wreck posed no ongoing navigational hazard after its removal.

Resources & Links

  • Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – Detailed record pages under “Tecumseh” and harbors in Ontario (Goderich)
  • Relevant archival materials from Goderich town records and the Huron County archives regarding harbor cleanup (1909–1911).

Conclusion

The Tecumseh enjoyed a robust multi-decade career in Canadian‑Great Lakes bulk trade, surviving multiple collisions, groundings, and shipyard refits. Her final day came quietly while docked—destroyed by fire, then removed, closing her story in local maritime annals rather than deep‑water mystery. A solid example of wooden‑screw freighters that bridged sail and steam eras in the Great Lakes.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

  • Keywords: Tecumseh, Chatham freighter, Goderich fire, Gore Bay foundering, grain transport, wooden propeller
  • Categories: Wooden bulk freighters, Canadian Great Lakes shipping, propeller-steam vessels, harbor fire losses
  • Glossary:
    • Foundered: Taken on water and sank at sea.
    • Gross Tonnage: A measure of a ship’s internal volume.
    • Harbor removal: Official dismantling or towing of wrecks to clear navigational channels.