I may have emailed about this before; perhaps we are getting desperate, but we've bought this little steamer for the museum organization and have NO clue at all to it's identity.

Her papers say 1916 for a build date but now I learn that that is false. Fabricated info in order to get a state title. She had no name on her and was supposedly pulled out of a quarry down in Illinois. Her name SPIRIT OF ALGOMA was given in recent years (1990's?) due to the rumor she was a logging tug and to pay tribute to the logging operations of Algoma, WI at one time (that comes right from the guy who named her).

Other rumors (coming from a decent source) say she used to work the Fox River (pulp trade maybe?) and had a "mini G-tug" cabin on her. Her steel house was later removed (all rotted out) and the guy couldn't weld, so build this plywood junker instead, which again, is now all rotted out.

Her steam engine (an honest to goodness little triple and appears quite old too) is in excellent shape and was running in the 1990's. Her riveted hull is pretty well shot and she's been totally sister-plated (my guess is all new decks too at one point). Even that hull now, from amidships forward is shot.

That is all we've got to go on. Very curious as to this vessel's origin, engine history, former names, ownership, trade - ANYTHING! Right now, with NO information and a junk hull, we're considering removing the machinery and scrapping the rest if we do not learn she is worth of preservation.

If anyone has any tips of knows of someone who may know something, please, get in touch with me.

Right we know that much. There's nothing there, believe me.

The tug is OLD. We know this. The old timers in the area know of her working in the Fox River area as a real tug. Many vessels in those type of trades are never documented. This is no surprise. It may be that her history is quite well documented actually - however, we are missing a major link and just cannot find her story.

Trust me, the owner is well aware of the potential sources, but so far no luck with any of them. The Sprit of Algoma's new owner is the Northeastern Maritime Historical Foundation, the same folks who acquired the steam G-tug Q.A. Gillmore (aka Reiss) last year, and attempted to save the cement carrier Lewis G. Harriman in 2003. The Spirit will need to leave its current location this summer, but it's small enough to be moved by truck so the time frame isn't so much of a factor in determining the boat's fate. What is more of an issue is the condition of the hull. If it's beyond restoration, the boat could be used as a static shoreside display, if its authentic historical appearance can be determined. However, we would prefer to utilize the machinery in a working boat if possible.