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Angler fishing in Lake Michigan fog discovers remains of abandoned tugboat J.C. Ames

While fishing near Manitowoc on a foggy Tuesday, a Wisconsin angler came across the remains of the long-abandoned tugboat J.C. Ames submerged in nine feet of water.
Constructed in 1881 in Manitowoc by a local shipbuilder, the tugboat was initially used to haul lumber and transport railway cars. After years of service, it fell into neglect and was deliberately sunk in 1923, following the common practice of disposing of vessels that were no longer functional.
The vessel, equipped with a 670-horsepower engine, was among the most formidable tugs operating on the Great Lakes and had remained hidden beneath lakebed sand for many years until recent winter storms uncovered it.
Tamara Thomsen, a maritime archaeologist with the Wisconsin Historical Society, explained that the absence of quagga mussels on the shipwreck suggests it has only recently become uncovered, highlighting the find’s importance to regional history.
State officials announced the find on Friday, emphasizing that the wreck’s resurfacing offers valuable insight into Wisconsin’s maritime heritage and was identified purely by chance.

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