City of Alpena

Archaeologists document the site of the shipwreck City of Alpena
Archaeologists document the site of the shipwreck City of Alpena.

Vessel Type: Motor: Tug

GPS Location: N44°47.268' W83°17.664'

Depth: 9 Feet

Wreck Length: 71.5 Feet

Beam: 17 Feet

Gross Tonnage: 76

Cargo: Light

Launched: 1874 in New Jerusalem, Ohio

Wrecked: August 9, 1880

Mooring Buoy Data

Description: In August 1880, the steam-powered tugboat City of Alpena caught fire just off shore and burned to the waterline. The crew escaped the burning tug using a lifeboat. Owner George L. Colwell of Harrisville surrendered the ship’s enrollment that September, and salvors recovered the engine and boiler in November.

The City of Alpena lies upside down so only the outer hull is exposed. The keel is intact from stem to stern, and most of the hull strakes remain in place. A four-bladed cast-iron propeller, shaft and bearing are visible through the missing hull planks. Additional wreckage is strewn about the shallow reef.

Great Lakes Maritime Collection digital archive: http://greatlakeships.org/2907344/data?n=2

360 Virtual Dive:

a diver photographs the propeller of tugboat City of Alpena, a boat can been seen above the diver

City of Alpena
Hull structure of City of Alpena ship
Hull structure of the City of Alpena, as it lies upside down in shallow water.
Propeller of city of alpena ship
Propeller of the tugboat City of Alpena.

City of Alpena by Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary on Sketchfab