Marine City

On August 29, 1880, the sidewheel passenger vessel Marine City was steaming across Lake Huron when smoke appeared from the engine room just off Sturgeon Point. The fire quickly engulfed the ship, and as thick smoke poured out, panic spread among the passengers, some of whom leapt into the water to escape. The actions of the crew, nearby vessels, and the Sturgeon Point Lifesaving Station prevented a total disaster. The entire crew survived, but 5 of the nearly 150 passengers were lost. The blaze burned the steamer to the waterline, and the wreck now rests in five feet of water about one mile north of here, where parts of the lower hull, boiler fragments, and machinery remain.

Michigan · United States