(Built 1868; Rebuilt 1869; a Total Loss August 21, 1911)
Vessel Build & Ownership
- Original Name & Build: Launched as Henry Warrington in 1868 at Lake Huron, constructed to serve as a propeller Tug or cargo vessel.
- Early Wreck & Rebuild: Wrecked in a November 1869 gale at Saginaw Bay near Au Sable River; successfully refloated and Rebuilt (Wikipedia, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
- Lighthouse Service Acquisition (1870): Purchased by the U.S. Lighthouse Service, renamed Warrington, and assigned to the 11th Lighthouse District. She serviced lighthouses and buoys on Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Superior (Wikipedia).
- Later Service: Remained a tender through 1910; sold to Hines Lumber Co. of Chicago and reverted to Henry Warrington, repurposed as a lumber hooker (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
Final Wreck Event (August 21, 1911)
- Date & Ownership: By August 1911 she was in operation under Hines Lumber Company, again named Henry Warrington.
- Incident: During a summer gale on August 21, 1911, she ran aground on the Lake Huron shoals, driven into shallows and pounded to pieces (uslhs.org).
- Cargo: Likely carried lumber as per her repurposed role.
- Casualties: No loss of life is reported in surviving records.
Shipwreck Summary Table
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name(s) | Henry Warrington → Warrington → Henry Warrington |
| Built / Rebuilt | 1868, Rebuilt after 1869 wreck |
| Final Loss Date | August 21, 1911 |
| Location | Lake Huron (Exact position unspecified) |
| Cause | Driven ashore during summer gale; Hull destroyed |
| Casualties | None reported |
| Final Disposition | Wrecked and Abandoned; Hull broken by waves |
Contextual Notes
- Served ably for decades under both government (Lighthouse) and private (lumber) ownership, highlighting rugged service history.
- The 1869 rebuilding after an earlier wreck underscores her resiliency prior to final loss in 1911.
- No formal salvage operations or archaeological surveys appear in public records, suggesting wreck remains untreated on the shoal.
Further Research Opportunities
- August 1911 Newspaper Coverage
- Port Huron Times Herald or Detroit News likely covered the wreck; reports could list precise location, cargo value, crew rescue, salvage intentions.
- Lighthouse Service Logs
- Administrative records might include detailed service logs and decommissioning orders predating the sale.
- Hydrographic & Marine Charts
- Historic shoal charts may uncover where she grounded and if that area remains navigationally hazardous.
- Maritime Archaeology Investigation
- No official dive surveys noted; opportunity exists for underwater documentation or heritage assessment.
- Pull August 1911 newspaper articles for contemporaneous coverage and specifics,
- Access Lighthouse Service archives for operational history and sale details,
- Locate historic chart references to determine wreck site,
- Investigate if any archaeological survey has documented the remains?