Identification & Site Information

• Name: U.S. 240
• Former Names: None
• Official Number: 167523
• Date Built & Launched: 1919
• Builder: Foundation Construction Co., Erie, Pennsylvania
• Specifications: 294 gross tons, 263 net tons
• Vessel Type: Steel Barge, bulk freight
• Date Lost: September 13, 1923
• Place of Loss: Off Port Colborne, Ontario, near Windmill Point, Lake Erie
• Cause of Loss: Foundered in a storm
• Loss of Life: 3 fatalities
• Cargo: Sulphur
• Port of Registry: Buffalo, New York
• Service History: Laid down for the U.S. Shipping Board during World War I

Vessel Type

The U.S. 240 was a steel-hulled bulk freight Barge, designed to be towed by larger steamships rather than operating under its own power. Barges like this were commonly used in Great Lakes and coastal trade, carrying heavy bulk cargoes such as sulphur, coal, iron ore, and limestone.

Description & History

The U.S. 240 was built in 1919 by the Foundation Construction Co. in Erie, Pennsylvania, as part of a wartime shipbuilding effort for the United States Shipping Board. It was likely used to transport bulk goods along the Great Lakes and East Coast trade routes.

On September 13, 1923, the U.S. 240 was en route from Cleveland, Ohio, to New York City, carrying a load of sulphur. While traveling off Port Colborne, Ontario, near Windmill Point, the vessel encountered a severe storm. The rough weather overwhelmed the Barge, and it Foundered, sinking beneath the waves.

Three crew members lost their lives, making this a tragic loss despite the vessel’s relatively short career.

Final Disposition

The U.S. 240 sank in deep water near Windmill Point, and no significant salvage efforts were reported. Given its steel Hull, parts of the wreck may still exist on the lakebed.

Located By & Date Found

No confirmed discovery of the wreck has been documented.

NOTMARs & Advisories

• The waters off Port Colborne and Windmill Point have claimed multiple shipwrecks, as the area is prone to strong storms and shifting lakebed conditions.

• Any remaining wreckage may be buried in sediment or scattered by currents.

Resources & Links

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

Conclusion

The U.S. 240 was a wartime-built steel Barge that played a role in post-World War I bulk freight transport. Its loss in 1923 near Port Colborne highlights the dangers of towing large, unpowered vessels in rough weather. With three crew members lost, it remains a tragic yet largely forgotten wreck in Lake Erie’s maritime history.

Keywords & Categories

Keywords: Great Lakes shipwrecks, steel barges, Port Colborne maritime history, Lake Erie storms, U.S. Shipping Board vessels

Categories: Shipwrecks of Lake Erie, 20th-century shipwrecks, steel bulk carriers, storm-related losses

Glossary Terms: Steel Barge, Bulk Freight Transport, Foundering, Windmill Point Shipwrecks