Identification & Site Information

• Name: DUNKIRK
• Former Names: Also seen as Packet OF DUNKIRK and DUNKIRK PACKETT
• Official Number: None
• Date Built and Launched: 1823
• Builder: Unknown, Venice, Ohio
• Home port: Dunkirk, New York
• Final Owner: Unknown
• Vessel Type: Wooden Two-Masted Schooner
• Hull Materials: Wood
• Power: Sail-powered
• Measurements: Length: 51 ft (15.5 m) Beam: 15 ft (4.6 m) Depth: 5 ft (1.5 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 34 tons
• Primary Cargo: Merchandise, salt, and other general goods
• Final Route: Unknown, trade route between Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York ports

Vessel Type

The DUNKIRK was a two-masted wooden schooner, among the earliest vessels to sail the Great Lakes, built for merchant transport.

Key Features of Early Great Lakes Schooners:

• Designed for carrying merchandise and bulk goods
• Fore-and-aft rigging allowed for easier sailing in changing lake winds
• Smaller in size compared to later schooners, making them susceptible to storms

At 51 feet in length and 34 tons, the DUNKIRK was a small Schooner, used for short-haul trade between ports on Lake Erie.

History

The DUNKIRK was one of the early schooners built for Great Lakes commerce, operating during the 1820s, when lake transport was just beginning to expand.

Key Events in the Vessel’s History:

• 1823: Built in Venice, Ohio, one of the earliest shipbuilding centers on Lake Erie.
• 1829, Late November: Wrecked in a storm near Cattaraugus Creek, New York.

Final Disposition

The DUNKIRK was lost in late November 1829, after being driven ashore in a storm near Cattaraugus Creek, New York.

The Disaster

• The vessel encountered rough weather and was pushed onto the shoreline.
• Heavy waves pounded the wooden Hull, breaking it entirely to pieces.
• The crew survived, as no loss of life was recorded.

Due to the Schooner’s small size and wooden construction, it was completely destroyed by the storm, leaving no chance for salvage or recovery.

This wreck is one of the earliest recorded shipwrecks on Lake Erie, highlighting the unpredictable dangers of early Great Lakes navigation.

Located By & Date Found

Nil return. There are no confirmed reports of the DUNKIRK‘s wreck remains being discovered or documented.

Given its small wooden structure, the remains were scattered and deteriorated beyond recognition.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return. No modern navigational hazards related to this wreck are reported near Cattaraugus Creek, New York.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File
• Buffalo History Museum (Buffalo, NY) (Potential archival material on early Lake Erie schooners)
• Dunkirk Historical Society (Dunkirk, NY) (Records on early shipping in the Dunkirk area)
• Erie County Historical Society (Buffalo, NY) (Potential references to early schooners and their trade routes)

Conclusion

The DUNKIRK was a small merchant Schooner that fell victim to an early Lake Erie storm in 1829 With no recorded survivors lost, it was completely destroyed by the waves, leaving no remains to be salvaged.