Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Twilight
  • Year built: 1873 (specific builder or port not available)
  • Type: Wooden-hulled vessel (likely a small Tug or workboat)
  • Final loss date: 5 September 1891
  • Location: Lake Erie, near Erie, Pennsylvania
  • Loss type: Destroyed by onboard fire—details scant, but vessel burned to a Total Loss
  • Casualties: None documented

Vessel Type & Description

Due to its small size and purpose (not listed among larger freighters), Twilight was almost certainly a modest wooden Towboat or harbour vessel, performing towing, lightering, or support roles in and around Erie.

Final Disposition

On 5 September 1891, Twilight was destroyed by fire. While records don’t confirm the ignition source, common culprits at the time included stove, lantern, or boiler malfunction. The fire consumed the vessel entirely, and she was declared a Total Loss. No loss of life is recorded, suggesting the crew escaped safely.

Located By & Discovery Status

  • Discovery: No recorded archaeological survey or dive exploration has verified Twilight’s remains.
  • Wreck site: Unknown; she likely burned at dock or nearshore, with her remnants removed or degraded over time. No Hull remnants are known to be present today.

Notmar & Navigational Advisories

No Notices to Mariners reference Twilight. The vessel’s destruction posed minimal navigational hazard, likely occurring while she was docked or adjacent to shore.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

Twilight’s brief service spanned less than two decades before succumbing to fire in September 1891. Though her exact role and construction details remain vague, her loss typifies the widespread risk of fire aboard wooden vessels—even smaller work boats—serving in Great Lakes harbours. With no remains or detailed accounts, Twilight endures quietly in regional maritime memory.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary

  • Keywords: Twilight, workboat fire, Erie, 1891 wreck
  • Categories: Wooden harbour vessels, late-19th-century workboat losses, boat fire disasters
  • Glossary:
    • Towboat: A vessel for pulling barges or assisting larger ships.
    • Total Loss: A vessel destroyed to an extent considered unrecoverable.