Identification & Site Information

• Name: Thomas Spear
• Official number: 145216 (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
• Year built: 1880, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin by Thomas Spear (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
• Type: Wooden-hulled propeller Tug (Towboat), one Deck
• Dimensions: Length 23.5 m (77 ft); Beam 4.6 m (15 ft); Depth 2.7 m (9 ft); Gross Tonnage 56 t (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
• Propulsion: Screw-driven steam engine (wood-hulled)
• Original owner: Thomas Spear, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Vessel Type

A small wooden screw Tug designed for towing stone scows, typical of late‑19th‑century Great Lakes tow operations.

Description

Featuring a single Deck and steam-powered propeller (screw), the Thomas Spear was compact and sturdy—built to push or pull heavy stone scows across busy Lake Michigan waters.

History

Constructed in early 1880 for local commercial hauling, particularly stone scows between Two Rivers and Ahnapee. She served the region’s construction demands during a growth era in Wisconsin infrastructure.

Final Disposition

• Date of loss: 24 September 1880
• Location: Off Carlton, Wisconsin, Lake Michigan, in approximately 9 m (5 fathoms) of water (wisconsinshipwrecks.org, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
• Circumstances: While towing two loaded stone scows from Two Rivers to Ahnapee, the Tug caught fire. Crew Abandoned ship and reached shore safely (wisconsinshipwrecks.org). The unmanned vessel drifted ashore ~24 km (15 miles) north of Two Rivers, burning “to the water’s edge” and destroyed “beyond Rebuild” (wisconsinshipwrecks.org).

Located By & Date Found

No formal discovery or archaeological survey recorded. The burned Hull came ashore; remains were likely salvaged or scattered, with no surviving intact wreck structure.

NOTMARs & Advisories

None noted. Local seasonal caution advised for Tug operations and towing in late summer, but no official marine warnings tied to this wreck.

Resources & Links

• Wisconsin Shipwrecks – Entry on Thomas Spear detailing fire, sinking, and aftermath (wisconsinshipwrecks.org)
• Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – Summary record confirming specifications and loss details (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Conclusion

The Thomas Spear represents the vulnerability of wooden steam tugs to onboard fires during the Great Lakes industrial boom. Her loss shortly after construction underscores the risks faced by small towboats. Though no diving site exists due to her destruction, her story remains a key example of early steam‑powered lake craft and their operational hazards.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

• Keywords: wooden Tug, steam screw, stone scow towing, fire, 19th‑century Great Lakes
• Categories: Towboat wrecks, Lake Michigan maritime incidents, steam-propeller tugs
• Glossary:
  • Screw propeller: a propelling mechanism using rotating blades (vs paddle).
  • Scow: a flat-bottomed boat for transporting bulk material.
  • Fathom: depth measure equal to 1.83 m (6 ft).