Site Identification
- Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario (scuttled “graveyard” area)
- Type: Flat-bottomed scow
- Estimated Dimensions: 63 ft long × 14 ft wide
- Build: Wooden
- Origin: Unknown — no name or official registry attached
- Construction Date: Not Determined (n.d.)
Site Details & Condition
- The Hull is intact but stripped (likely stripped prior to scuttling).
- Positioned in shallow water, appearing to have been deliberately sunk—a preservation tactic common in heritage conservation or yard cleanup.
- Surrounding environment includes other scuttled vessels and shoreline debris; the Hull may be partially buried under silt, but visible frames and bulkheads are accessible.
Archaeological Observations
- Construction Features: Carvel planking with oak framing; beam measurement taken from exposed rib spacing.
- Scuttling Notes: No marine growth suggests recent sinking (within last 20–50 years). No visible ballast or cargo remains.
- Potential Origin Clues: Dimensions fit early-20th-century canal scows used for low-value bulk material; absence of registration plates indicates likely Abandoned or decommissioned locally.
Next-Step Recommendations
- Conduct photogrammetric documentation to capture Hull shape, frame spacing, and fastener types for comparative analysis.
- Retrieve wood samples for dendrochronology—useful for dating construction and comparing with local sawmill records.
- Seek local boatyard archives or municipal records to match vessel dimensions with yard-built scows (e.g., ropewalk yard, 1920–1950).
- Carefully excavate near timber Hull areas to look for artifacts or embedded metal fittings that might aid in identification.
- Coordinate with local historical societies to investigate possible scow scrapping events.