ONLINE: Underwater Archaeology Survey of the Goodrich tug Arctic

press release: Register online for this free webinar presented by the State Historic Preservation Office.

Built in 1881, the tug Arctic was an ice breaking and harbor tug for the Goodrich Transportation Company. The Arctic was in service for forty-nine years, the longest continuous service of any vessel that served under the Goodrich Line. As the vessel aged, it required repair and overhaul more frequently and Goodrich Transportation Company ultimately determined that it had reached a threshold where it would cost more to rebuild the tug than to acquire a new vessel. In 1930, Arctic was abandoned north of Manitowoc harbor and allowed to sink. Manitowoc Herald-Times (1930) paid homage to the tug, “to recount the items of service this craft has rendered throughout its life, would fill volumes-- its responses to the four blasts of vessels on the lake in need of help; its assistance to grounded boats; its welcome stream of water on dock property being destroyed by flames; its charges into ice jams that threatened destruction of boats and bridges; and breaking of ice that enabled navigation to continue—all are legion in number, and no man can recount them all."

Arctic’s wreck site was surveyed during an archaeological field school held for members of the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeological Association that lead to listing the site to the National Register of Historic Places. Discover Arctic’s history and hear what was learned from our archaeological survey of the site.