Overview
D. Bell was a shipbuilder based in Buffalo, New York, active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Though little is documented about the full extent of his work, he was involved in the construction of iron-hulled and wooden vessels, including yachts, passenger steamers, and freight carriers for use on the Great Lakes and regional waterways.
Notable Vessel Built by D. Bell
One documented ship built by D. Bell is:
- Mary Mills was a wooden-hulled steambarge, a common type of vessel on the Great Lakes in the late 19th century. Steambarges were steam-powered cargo carriers Unlike traditional sailing schooners, steambarges had greater reliability, making them crucial to the lumber and transportation industries on the Great Lakes.
- Titania was a propeller-driven excursion vessel, originally built as a yacht in 1875 by D. Bell in Buffalo, New York. It had been converted to an excursion vessel in 1877 by H. Jewett. With a length of 98 feet (30 meters), a beam of 14 feet (4.3 meters), and a depth of 6 feet (1.8 meters), the vessel was primarily used to carry passengers on excursion routes between Charlotte and Seabreeze, NY. The vessel’s gross tonnage was 73 tons (66 metric tons), and its net tonnage was 47 tons (43 metric tons).
- Uarda (1881) – A 93-foot iron-hulled propeller steamer, originally built as a yacht but later converted for passenger and freight service. The vessel burned at Ripley, Michigan, in 1912 under suspicious circumstances (possibly arson) and later sank at West Hancock in 1913.
Buffalo’s Shipbuilding Industry
During the late 19th century, Buffalo was a major shipbuilding hub due to its strategic location at the eastern end of Lake Erie. The city was home to several well-known shipyards, including:
- Union Dry Dock Company
- George Notter Shipyard
- Buffalo Dry Dock Company
- Bidwell & Banta
It is possible that D. Bell was either an independent builder or affiliated with one of these larger firms.
Legacy & Impact
• D. Bell contributed to the growth of Buffalo’s maritime industry, particularly in the transition from wooden to iron-hulled vessels.
• His work on the Uarda represents a shift toward small, multi-use steam vessels, which were becoming increasingly popular on the Great Lakes for regional transport and passenger service.
Resources & Links
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Buffalo’s Shipbuilding History
Conclusion
While D. Bell remains a lesser-known figure in Buffalo’s shipbuilding history, his construction of the iron-hulled Uarda suggests that he was involved in the evolving technology of the Great Lakes fleet. More research into Buffalo shipbuilding records may reveal additional vessels attributed to his work.
Would you like me to investigate further for more details on D. Bell’s shipbuilding career?
Keywords & Categories
Keywords: Buffalo shipbuilding, Great Lakes shipbuilders, iron-hulled vessels, propeller steamers, regional shipyards
Categories: Great Lakes shipbuilders, 19th-century shipbuilding, iron ship construction
Glossary Terms: Iron-Hulled Vessel, Propeller Steamer, Buffalo Maritime History, Great Lakes Shipyards
D. Bell – Shipbuilder, Buffalo, New York
Overview
D. Bell was a shipbuilder based in Buffalo, New York, active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Though little is documented about the full extent of his work, he was involved in the construction of iron-hulled and wooden vessels, including yachts, passenger steamers, and freight carriers for use on the Great Lakes and regional waterways.
Notable Vessel Built by D. Bell
One documented ship built by D. Bell is:
• Uarda (1881) – A 93-foot iron-hulled propeller steamer, originally built as a yacht but later converted for passenger and freight service. The vessel burned at Ripley, Michigan, in 1912 under suspicious circumstances (possibly arson) and later sank at West Hancock in 1913.
Buffalo’s Shipbuilding Industry
During the late 19th century, Buffalo was a major shipbuilding hub due to its strategic location at the eastern end of Lake Erie. The city was home to several well-known shipyards, including:
• Union Dry Dock Company
• George Notter Shipyard
• Buffalo Dry Dock Company
• Bidwell & Banta
It is possible that D. Bell was either an independent builder or affiliated with one of these larger firms.
Legacy & Impact
• D. Bell contributed to the growth of Buffalo’s maritime industry, particularly in the transition from wooden to iron-hulled vessels.
• His work on the Uarda represents a shift toward small, multi-use steam vessels, which were becoming increasingly popular on the Great Lakes for regional transport and passenger service.
Resources & Links
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Buffalo’s Shipbuilding History
Conclusion
While D. Bell remains a lesser-known figure in Buffalo’s shipbuilding history, his construction of the iron-hulled Uarda suggests that he was involved in the evolving technology of the Great Lakes fleet. More research into Buffalo shipbuilding records may reveal additional vessels attributed to his work.
Would you like me to investigate further for more details on D. Bell’s shipbuilding career?
Keywords & Categories
Keywords: Buffalo shipbuilding, Great Lakes shipbuilders, iron-hulled vessels, propeller steamers, regional shipyards
Categories: Great Lakes shipbuilders, 19th-century shipbuilding, iron ship construction
Glossary Terms: Iron-Hulled Vessel, Propeller Steamer, Buffalo Maritime History, Great Lakes Shipyar
Overview
D. Bell was a shipbuilder based in Buffalo, New York, active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Though little is documented about the full extent of his work, he was involved in the construction of iron-hulled and wooden vessels, including yachts, passenger steamers, and freight carriers for use on the Great Lakes and regional waterways.
Notable Vessel Built by D. Bell
One documented ship built by D. Bell is:
• Uarda (1881) – A 93-foot iron-hulled propeller steamer, originally built as a yacht but later converted for passenger and freight service. The vessel burned at Ripley, Michigan, in 1912 under suspicious circumstances (possibly arson) and later sank at West Hancock in 1913.
Buffalo’s Shipbuilding Industry
During the late 19th century, Buffalo was a major shipbuilding hub due to its strategic location at the eastern end of Lake Erie. The city was home to several well-known shipyards, including:
• Union Dry Dock Company
• George Notter Shipyard
• Buffalo Dry Dock Company
• Bidwell & Banta
It is possible that D. Bell was either an independent builder or affiliated with one of these larger firms.
Legacy & Impact
• D. Bell contributed to the growth of Buffalo’s maritime industry, particularly in the transition from wooden to iron-hulled vessels.
• His work on the Uarda represents a shift toward small, multi-use steam vessels, which were becoming increasingly popular on the Great Lakes for regional transport and passenger service.
Resources & Links
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Buffalo’s Shipbuilding History
Conclusion
While D. Bell remains a lesser-known figure in Buffalo’s shipbuilding history, his construction of the iron-hulled Uarda suggests that he was involved in the evolving technology of the Great Lakes fleet. More research into Buffalo shipbuilding records may reveal additional vessels attributed to his work.
Would you like me to investigate further for more details on D. Bell’s shipbuilding career?
Keywords & Categories
Keywords: Buffalo shipbuilding, Great Lakes shipbuilders, iron-hulled vessels, propeller steamers, regional shipyards
Categories: Great Lakes shipbuilders, 19th-century shipbuilding, iron ship construction
Glossary Terms: Iron-Hulled Vessel, Propeller Steamer, Buffalo Maritime History, Great Lakes Shipyards
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