SS Francis Hinton facts for kids
class="infobox " style="float: right; clear: right; width: 315px; border-spacing: 2px; text-align: left; font-size: 90%;"
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; line-height: 1.5em;" | 
|}
The SS Francis Hinton was a large wooden barge that used steam power. It sank during a big storm in 1909. This happened off the coast of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in Lake Michigan. The ship was carrying a lot of lumber when it went down. On December 16, 1996, the wreck of the Francis Hinton was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site.
Contents
- Building and Early Life of the Francis Hinton
- Changes in Ownership
- The Final Journey
- The Francis Hinton Today
Building and Early Life of the Francis Hinton
The Francis Hinton (Official number 120754) was built in 1889. Two Danish immigrants, Jasper Hanson and Hans Scove, built her. Their company was called Hanson & Scove. They built the ship in Manitowoc for Horatio Truman and George Cooper.
The ship's body was made of wood. It was about 152.16 feet (46.38 m) long. Its width was about 30.75 feet (9.37 m). The hull, or bottom part, was about 10.66 feet (3.25 m) deep. The Francis Hinton could carry a lot of weight. Its gross register tonnage was 417.34 tons. Its net register tonnage was 331.07 tons.
The ship had a powerful engine. It was a 385-horsepower (287 kW) Steeple compound engine. This engine was made by the Manistee Iron Works in Manistee, Michigan. The ship also had one boiler to create steam. It could carry about 550.000 board feet (1.29786 m3) of lumber. In 1890, the ship was valued at $35,000. It had a high safety rating called Inland Lloyd's A1.
Changes in Ownership
In 1891, the Francis Hinton was sold. The Wisconsin Dredge & Dock Company in Manitowoc bought her. Later, in 1897, James A. Calbick from Chicago, Illinois, became the new owner. In 1899, the ship was sold again to Austin A. Canavan, also from Chicago.
In 1902, the Marine Navigation Company of Marine City, Michigan, bought the ship. On April 18, 1904, the ship's official tonnage changed. It became 397 gross register tons and 273 net register tons. On August 25, 1905, the Francis Hinton had a small accident. It bumped into another steamer, the Binghamton. This happened near Peche Island in the Detroit River.
The Final Journey
On November 16, 1909, the Francis Hinton began its last trip. It left Manistique, Michigan, heading for Chicago. The ship was very full of lumber. During the journey, a big storm started. The crew soon found that the ship was taking on water. They decided to try and reach the safe harbor of Two Rivers.
However, the water leaking into the ship put out the fire in its boiler. This made the Francis Hinton unable to move. The crew dropped the ship's anchor. But the huge waves kept hitting the ship, letting in more water. Finally, the captain ordered the anchor line to be cut. The ship then drifted towards the shore.
The Two Rivers Lifesaving team saw the ship. They decided the waves were too rough to try and rescue the crew by boat. So, the crew of the Francis Hinton used a small boat called a yawl. They rowed safely to the shore. The Francis Hinton eventually ended up stuck on the beach in Maritime Bay. This was about 1.9 miles (3.1 km) northeast of the Manitowoc River. The day after the shipwreck, the crew and the lifesaving team took everything valuable off the ship.
The Francis Hinton Today
Divers found the remains of the Francis Hinton in 1987. The ship's parts are broken and spread out. They lie in about 15 feet (4.6 m) of water. You can see parts like the bottom of the ship (bilge). The boiler, which made steam for the engine, is also there. You can also find the ship's four-bladed propeller. The remains of its Steeple compound engine are also on the site.
When you dive there, you can usually see about 10 feet (3.0 m) clearly. Because the wreck is in shallow water, ice and waves have caused a lot of damage over the years. The wreck of the Francis Hinton is close to another shipwreck. This is the tugboat Arctic.
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States |
|
| Name | Francis Hinton |
| Owner | George G. Oliver |
| Operator | Marine Navigation Company |
| Builder | Hanson & Scove |
| Launched | 1889 |
| In service | 1889 |
| Out of service | November 16, 1909 |
| Identification | U.S. Registry #120754 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage |
|
| Length | 152.16 ft (46.38 m) |
| Beam | 30.75 ft (9.37 m) |
| Depth | 10.66 ft (3.25 m) |
| Installed power | 385 hp (287 kW) Steeple compound engine |
|
FRANCIS HINTON (steamer)
|
|
 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Off the coast of Manitowoc, Wisconsin |
| Nearest city | Manitowoc, Wisconsin |
| Built | 1889 |
| Architect | Hanson & Scove |
| Architectural style | Steam barge |
| NRHP reference No. | 96001457 |
| Added to NRHP | December 16, 1996 |
