History #
The Abyssinia was a schooner-barge vessel constructed in 1896 with an official number of 107221. It was built in West Bay City, Michigan, by James Davidson & Co. The vessel was primarily used as a schooner-barge, which means it had the ability to function as both a sailing schooner and a non-self-propelled barge.
Constructed using wood as its primary hull material, the Abyssinia featured two decks and had a total of four masts. It had impressive dimensions, with a length of 288.6 feet, a beam (width) of 44.6 feet, and a depth of 19.1 feet. The vessel had a gross tonnage of 2037 and a net tonnage of 1916, indicating its size and carrying capacity.
Throughout its history, the Abyssinia had various owners and underwent different towing operations. In 1900, it was owned in Duluth, and on November 3 of that year, it suffered damage during a storm. In 1901, the City of Glasgow towed the Abyssinia, and in 1912, it was towed by the E.M. Peck.
However, the Abyssinia met its final fate on October 18, 1917, when it stranded 3 miles west of Buffalo, New York, on Tecumseh Reef in Lake Erie. The vessel was carrying a cargo of wheat at the time. It was owned by Hutchinson & Co., and although there were eight people on board, there were no reported casualties. The Abyssinia was ultimately abandoned as a total loss, and its wreck was discovered in 1962.
