Identification & Construction
- Built: 1893 at Port Huron, Michigan by Jenks Shipbuilding Company; master carpenter A. Carpenter
- Type: Single-Deck wooden screw Tug
- Propulsion: 4‑cylinder steeple compound engine (9″, 9″, 15″, 15″ × 12″), 250 hp @ 136 rpm by Samuel Hodge Co., Detroit (1886); single 6′ × 10′8″ fire‑box boiler by Love & Schofield, Port Huron
- Dimensions: 85′ length × 19′ beam × 9′ depth
- Tonnage: 84 GRT, 42 NRT
Ownership & Service History
- 1893–1899: Owned by William Harrow et al. of Port Huron
- 1899: Sold to E.R. Edson
- 1904: Owned by Charles H. Flower, Buffalo
- 1915–1930: Operated by Dominion Fish Company, Wiarton, Ontario (Canadian official number C134018); refitted with home port in Port Arthur, Ontario
Final Disposition
- Date: 1936
- Location: Eastern shore of Thunder Bay, Lake Superior, east of Port Arthur
- Fate: Scuttled intentionally under government contract; part of the newly designated “Thunder Bay Ship Graveyard” for derelict vessel disposal (Academia)
Wreck Site & Current Condition
- Site: Likely among a cluster of derelict tugs and vessels off eastern Thunder Bay
- Condition: Believed to have been recorded by side-scan sonar and inspected via ROV in 2007 as part of Parks Canada’s archaeological initiative to classify and characterize the Thunder Bay “ship graveyard” (Academia)
- Exact wreck ID remains unverified, but archaeological context and stratigraphy are well-defined alongside other government-scuttled vessels
Significance
- The Tug’s lifecycle—from private American service to Canadian fisheries work and eventual government-approved scuttling—reflects cross-border maritime histories of the Great Lakes
- Its presence in the Thunder Bay site offers insights into early 20th-century Tugboat design, operational use in fisheries, and federal “graveyarding” strategies
- Supports heritage management of wreck sites and contributes to broader narratives of freshwater industrial archaeology
Research & Exploration Opportunities
| Task | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Archive Dive Logs & Registration | Confirm Canadian registry entries, refits, and transfer documents from Dominion Fish Co. and Port Arthur customs |
| Search Sonar & ROV Data | Collaborate with Parks Canada to review wreck assessments from 2007 surveys for visual confirmation |
| Government Records on Scuttling | Locate 1936 contracts or disposal authorizations detailing scuttling location and condition |
| Site Condition Assessment | Plan an ROV revisit to evaluate preservation, encrustation, and structural integrity |
Summary
The W. G. Harrow was a sturdy wooden Tug built in 1893 in Port Huron who later served Canadian fisheries before being intentionally scuttled in 1936 east of Port Arthur. Her remains rest within the designated Thunder Bay Ship Graveyard, recorded by sonar and ROV surveys and awaiting proper identification. She represents a valuable case study of Great Lakes industrial vessels and governmental marine disposal strategies.