Uploaded January 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Montana was originally a swift package freighter operated by the New York Central Railroad’s Western Transit Company. In 1909, she was rebuilt as a lumber carrier. En route from Detroit to Georgian Bay to load lumber in 1914, it caught fire, burned to the water’s edge, and sank off Thunder Bay’s North Point. Today, the bow is broken open, but many interesting hull features can still be seen at the site. Its engine, boiler, shaft, and propeller are all in place, while the windlass, capstan, and rudder also lie among the wreckage. Dive into the Montana in this Earth Is Blue video!
Learn more: thunderbay.noaa.gov/shipwrecks/montana.html
Media Transcript:
[Video of diver swimming underwater, adjacent to shipwreck]
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is full of shipwrecks waiting to be explored.
The wreck of Montana is one dive to remember.
[Historical, black and white photo of the Montana]
A wooden steam barge, Montana served as a package freighter and later as a lumber carrier.
[Historical, black and white photo of Montana at sea]
En route from Detroit to Georgian Bay to load up with lumber in September 1914, it caught fire.
[Historical photo of Montana’s stern]
Burned to the water’s edge, Montana sank off Thunder Bay’s North Point.
[Map of Thunder Bay, with boat icons marking the locations of shipwrecks. A yellow circle appears around the location of the sunken Montana]
The crew were all rescued, and today this vessel rests at a depth of 63 feet.
[Video of diver swimming next to shipwreck]
Today, many interesting features of the ship can still be spotted.
[Video of diver swimming close to shipwreck, holding a camera]
Dive in and see if you can find the engine, boiler, shaft, or propeller of the old Montana wreck.
[Screen fades to black. Text reads: “From May through October, you can visit this buoyed shipwreck in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. For more information, visit thunderbay.noaa.gov.”]
The Montana was originally a swift package freighter operated by the New York Central Railroad’s Western Transit Company. In 1909, she was rebuilt as a lumber carrier. En route from Detroit to Georgian Bay to load lumber in 1914, it caught fire, burned to the water’s edge, and sank off Thunder Bay’s North Point. Today, the bow is broken open, but many interesting hull features can still be seen at the site. Its engine, boiler, shaft, and propeller are all in place, while the windlass, capstan, and rudder also lie among the wreckage. Dive into the Montana in this Earth Is Blue video!
Learn more: thunderbay.noaa.gov/shipwrecks/montana.html
Media Transcript:
[Video of diver swimming underwater, adjacent to shipwreck]
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is full of shipwrecks waiting to be explored.
The wreck of Montana is one dive to remember.
[Historical, black and white photo of the Montana]
A wooden steam barge, Montana served as a package freighter and later as a lumber carrier.
[Historical, black and white photo of Montana at sea]
En route from Detroit to Georgian Bay to load up with lumber in September 1914, it caught fire.
[Historical photo of Montana’s stern]
Burned to the water’s edge, Montana sank off Thunder Bay’s North Point.
[Map of Thunder Bay, with boat icons marking the locations of shipwrecks. A yellow circle appears around the location of the sunken Montana]
The crew were all rescued, and today this vessel rests at a depth of 63 feet.
[Video of diver swimming next to shipwreck]
Today, many interesting features of the ship can still be spotted.
[Video of diver swimming close to shipwreck, holding a camera]
Dive in and see if you can find the engine, boiler, shaft, or propeller of the old Montana wreck.
[Screen fades to black. Text reads: “From May through October, you can visit this buoyed shipwreck in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. For more information, visit thunderbay.noaa.gov.”]
