CITY OF Cleveland: A Resilient Vessel’s Journey and Tragic End

IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION

• Vessel Name: City of Cleveland

• Original Vessel Type: Sidewheel Steamer

• Converted Vessel Type: Wooden Barge

• Year Built: 1857

• Builder: Bidwell & Banta, Buffalo, New York

• Dimensions (as Sidewheeler): Not specified in records

• Final Owners: Daniels & McNelly, Detroit, Michigan

• Final Location: Between Madison and Conneaut, Ohio, Lake Erie

• Final Incident Date: October 31, 1868

• Cargo at Loss: Lumber

VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION

Originally constructed as a Sidewheel Steamer, the City of Cleveland was a product of the mid-19th century Great Lakes maritime engineering. Sidewheel steamers were renowned for their large paddle wheels and ability to transport both passengers and freight. However, after being declared a Total Loss in 1864, the vessel was recovered and repurposed as a wooden Barge in 1866. Barges like the converted City of Cleveland were towed by tugs and served as reliable bulk cargo carriers on the Great Lakes.

HISTORY

Construction and Early Service

The City of Cleveland was built in 1857 in Buffalo, New York, by shipbuilders Bidwell & Banta. Initially designed as a Sidewheel Steamer, the vessel played a role in the thriving passenger and freight trade on the Great Lakes. However, its career as a Steamer was cut short in November 1864, when it wrecked near the Two Hearted River on Lake Superior, Michigan. Declared a Total Loss, the ship was Abandoned at the time.

Recovery and Conversion

In 1866, the City of Cleveland was salvaged and converted into a wooden Barge, marking a significant transformation in its maritime career. This repurposing reflected the evolving demands of Great Lakes shipping, where barges were increasingly used to transport large volumes of lumber and other bulk goods.

Final Voyage and Loss

On October 31, 1868, the City of Cleveland was part of a convoy of four barges being towed by the Tug Winslow, en route to Saginaw, Michigan, on Lake Erie. A fierce gale swept across the lake, separating the City of Cleveland from the convoy. Unable to withstand the storm, the Barge was driven ashore between Madison and Conneaut, Ohio. The crew Abandoned the vessel, and it was declared a Total Loss. The City of Cleveland’s cargo of lumber was also lost to the storm.

Clarifications on Historical Records

Some confusion exists in maritime records, with a wreck near the Two Hearted River in 1864 mistakenly attributed to a vessel named Cleveland, built in 1852. However, historical accounts confirm that the wreck in question was indeed the City of Cleveland, originally constructed in 1857.

FINAL DISPOSITION

The City of Cleveland was Abandoned and destroyed by the forces of nature in 1868 near Madison and Conneaut, Ohio, on Lake Erie. The vessel succumbed to a severe gale, and its remains were left ashore, marking the end of its service.

NOTMARs & ADVISORIES

There are no active Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) related to the wreck of the City of Cleveland. The Barge’s remains have long since vanished or been obscured by sediment and the passage of time.

RESOURCES & LINKS

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes: In-depth records and accounts of vessels like the City of Cleveland.

David Swayze Shipwreck File

Great Lakes Ships

• Bowling Green State University Great Lakes Database: Documentation on vessels and their operational histories.

CONCLUSION

The City of Cleveland had a dynamic history, transitioning from a Sidewheel Steamer to a wooden Barge after a devastating wreck in 1864. Its ultimate destruction in a gale on Lake Erie in 1868 underscores the unpredictable and often treacherous conditions faced by Great Lakes vessels. Despite its untimely end, the City of Cleveland’s story reflects the resilience and adaptability of Great Lakes maritime operations during the 19th century.

Keywords: City of Cleveland, Lake Erie shipwreck, wooden Barge, Sidewheel Steamer, 19th-century Great Lakes maritime history, Madison Ohio, Conneaut Ohio, lumber trade.