Identification & Site Information

• Name: Unadilla
• Former Names: None
• Official Number: 25021
• Date Built & Launched: 1862
• Builder: Lafrinier or Peck & Masters, Cleveland, Ohio
• Specifications: 154 ft x 31 ft x 13 ft (46.9 m x 9.4 m x 4.0 m), 396 gross tons, 376 net tons
• Vessel Type: Wooden Schooner-Barge (originally a three-masted Schooner)
• Date Lost: December 2, 1913
• Place of Loss: Cleveland, Ohio, Lake Erie
• Cause of Loss: Driven onto Breakwater during a storm
• Loss of Life: None
• Cargo: Unknown (possibly lumber)
• Rebuilds & Repairs:
  • 1879 – Rebuilt
  • 1881, 1886, 1894 – Major repairs

Vessel Type

The Unadilla was originally built as a three-masted wooden Schooner but was later converted into a Schooner-Barge, meaning it was towed by a steam-powered vessel rather than sailing independently. These converted barges were commonly used to carry bulk cargo such as lumber, coal, or stone.

Description & History

Built in 1862 in Cleveland, the Unadilla had a long and eventful career spanning over 50 years. Originally constructed as a three-masted Schooner, it was Rebuilt into a Schooner-Barge in 1879, likely to improve efficiency in the growing Great Lakes towing industry. Over the years, the vessel underwent major repairs in 1881, 1886, and 1894, which suggests it sustained significant damage multiple times but was kept in service due to its value in transporting bulk materials.

The ship survived multiple accidents, including:

• November 20, 1886 – Reported broken by a storm in the Straits of Mackinac.
• September 1893 – Went ashore on Gull Island, Lake Michigan, and was declared a Total Loss. However, it was later salvaged and repaired.
• On December 2, 1913, the Unadilla met its final disaster at Cleveland, Ohio, when it was driven onto a Breakwater during a storm. The vessel was deemed a constructive Total Loss (damaged beyond repair but not completely destroyed). The wreck remained on the Breakwater for nearly two years, exposed to the elements.
• On November 15, 1915, the Abandoned Hull caught fire and was completely destroyed, bringing an end to the 53-year-old vessel.

Final Disposition

The Unadilla was left stranded on the Breakwater at Cleveland until it burned down in 1915. Any remains would have been scattered or removed over time due to harbor maintenance and dredging.

Located By & Date Found

No confirmed wreckage remains, as the vessel burned and was likely removed or disintegrated.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Cleveland’s Breakwater has undergone extensive modifications, making it unlikely that any wreckage remains today.

No known modern navigational hazards linked to this wreck exist.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• NOAA Great Lakes Shipwrecks

Conclusion

The Unadilla had an incredibly long and eventful career, surviving multiple wrecks, storms, and rebuilds before finally meeting its end on the Cleveland Breakwater in 1913. After 53 years of service, its burning in 1915 marked the conclusion of one of the longest-serving wooden Schooner-barges on the Great Lakes.

Keywords & Categories

Keywords: Great Lakes schooners, Schooner-barges, Cleveland shipwrecks, Lake Erie maritime history, storm-related wrecks

Categories: Shipwrecks of Lake Erie, 19th-century shipwrecks, wooden Schooner-barges, fire-related losses

Glossary Terms: Schooner-Barge, Constructive Total Loss, Great Lakes Storms, Cleveland Breakwater