SS W. P. Thew

History
United States
Name	W. P. Thew
Owner	R. Thew et al (original)
Operator	Various (later Marine Bank, Cleveland; J. C. Garry, Saginaw; Hugh R. Harvey, Detroit)
Builder	Henry D. Root
Launched	1884
Completed	1884
Identification	Official number 81204
Fate	Collided with SS William Livingston and sank, 22 June 1909
General characteristics
Type	Wooden steam barge
Tonnage	403  GRT (after 1888 rebuild)
Length	132 ft (40 m)
Beam	24 ft (7.3 m)
Depth	8.4 ft (2.6 m)
Installed power	400 hp (300 kW), 2 cylinders, 1 boiler
Propulsion	Steeple compound steam engine, screw propeller
Capacity	Lumber, logs, railroad ties, shingles
Notes	Rebuilt multiple times after fires and sinkings; originally enrolled at Cleveland in 1884

W. P. Thew was a wooden steam barge built in 1884 at Lorain, Ohio, by shipbuilder Henry D. Root, one of the last prominent wooden shipbuilders on the Black River. She was designed to carry forest products such as lumber, logs, shingles, and railroad ties across the Great Lakes. ^[1]

The wreck is currently a diving site.

Description

W. P. Thew was built by shipbuilder Henry D. Root in 1884, one of the last prominent wooden shipbuilders on the Black River. ^[2]

W. P. Thew was a single-deck wooden steam barge originally measuring 107 ft (33 m) in length, 23.4 ft (7.1 m) in beam, and 8.4 ft (2.6 m) in depth, with a gross register tonnage of 139. ^[3] She was powered by a two-cylinder steeple compound steam engine rated at 400 horsepower (300 kW), with one marine firebox boiler and a single screw propeller. ^[4]

During her career, she was repeatedly rebuilt. In 1886 she was lengthened to 132.5 ft (40.4 m) with a gross register tonnage of 188. In 1888 she was double-decked, reaching 403 gross register tons. ^[5] The vessel was enrolled at various ports including Cleveland, Bay City, Port Huron, and Detroit as ownership changed. ^[6]

Final voyage and sinking

On 22 June 1909, W. P. Thew was en route in ballast when she was struck in dense fog by the 545-foot (166 m) steel freighter William Livingston off Thunder Bay Island in Lake Huron. ^[7] The freighter did not stop after the collision, and the wooden barge sank quickly, though all crew survived. ^[8] Her enrollment was officially surrendered at Detroit on 30 June 1909. ^[9]

The wreck

The wreck of W. P. Thew lies in 80 to 84 feet (24 to 26 m) of water approximately 3.5 miles (5.6 km) east of Thunder Bay Island at 45°02.705′N83°09.205′W / 45.045083°N 83.153417°W / 45.045083; -83.153417 . ^[10] The site consists of scattered remains, including machinery, boilers, deck equipment, and the fantail with the propeller and shaft visible. ^[11] Divers report burbot and other freshwater species commonly inhabiting the wreck. ^[12]

See also

• List of shipwrecks in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

References

1. "W.P. Thew". NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
2. Adz (1963). Adz, Caulk, and Rivets: A History of Ship Building along Ohio's Northern Shore (2017 ed.). Western Reserve Historical Society. p. 64-65 – via maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca.
3. "THEW, W. P. (1884, Steambarge)". Great Lakes Ships. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
4. "THEW, W. P. (1884, Steambarge)". Great Lakes Ships. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
5. "THEW, W. P. (1884, Steambarge)". Great Lakes Ships. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
6. "THEW, W. P. (1884, Steambarge)". Great Lakes Ships. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
7. "W.P. Thew". NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
8. "Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary". Divers Alert Network. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
9. "THEW, W. P. (1884, Steambarge)". Great Lakes Ships. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
10. "W.P. Thew". NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
11. "Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary". Divers Alert Network. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
12. "Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary". Divers Alert Network. Retrieved 19 September 2025.