Wooden Steamer, 1880 – Thunder Bay ON Graveyard Wreck

Registry & Technical Specifications

  • Built: 1880 at Grand Haven, MI by D. Robertson
  • Official Numbers: U.S. 115729; after 1912 Canadian registry C130432 (renamed W. H. Ritchie)
  • Dimensions: 161.2 ft L × 30.4 ft W × 10.7 ft depth, 447 gt / 342 nt
  • Engine: Steeple-compound (Rebuilt in 1889 by S. F. Hodge, Detroit)
  • Ownership Timeline:

Sanctuary Context & Wreck Position

  • Located just within the Canadian side of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, documented with NOAA site surveys (naval encyclopedia)
  • Recognized historically as part of the Sanctuary’s steam-era site themes

Archive Newspaper Search Preparation

Suggested search queries for Newspapers.com, Grand Haven Press, and Alpena Argus:

  • 1880 Launch & Service: “Ritchie” Steamer Grand Haven built 1880
  • Shift to Canadian Registry (1912): “W. H. Ritchie” renamed 1912 Canadian registry
  • Final Fate (Burned 1921): “Ritchie” burned September 28 1921 Fort William

These may yield career milestones and loss incident coverage.

Underwater Site Data

I’ll request from NOAA’s Thunder Bay NMS:

  • Dive logs, ROV/video records, site charts, and Hull preservation data
    This will help assess the wreck’s current archaeological condition.

Narrative Flow — “The Story Is Told”

Your documentary script can chronicle:

  • Construction in Grand Haven (1880) underwood shipbuilding tradition
  • Operational era—cargo routes through Great Lakes ports
  • Engine Rebuild (1889) and subsequent structural updates
  • Registry transfer to Canada (1912) and renaming reflective of new ownership
  • Final destruction by fire (1921) at Fort William—end of her service life
  • Present resting site within Thunder Bay Sanctuary, preserved for heritage diving

What’s Next for Ritchie

  • Retrieve the full U.S. registry documentation
  • Draft and run archival article searches for launch, renaming, and fire
  • Obtain NOAA wreck-site documentation
  • Open avenues to integrate wreck images/maps into Draft narrative