Site Description #
- Schooner
- 105ffw 30m
- 154ft Length
- Port Dover, Lake Erie
- N 42 39.288 W 79 28.597
History #
The Carlingford, a schooner built in 1869, has an interesting history marked by various incidents and changes in ownership. Constructed at Port Huron, MI, the vessel was originally owned by Robert Montgomery from Buffalo, NY. The Carlingford featured a single deck and was crafted using wood as its primary hull material. It had three masts, with spars measuring 94′, 96′, and 98′ respectively. With a length of 154.7′, a beam of 31.1′, and a depth of 12.3′, the schooner had a gross tonnage of 470 and a capacity to carry 30,000 bushels of cargo.
The Carlingford’s final disposition occurred on November 12, 1881, near Dunkirk, NY, on Lake Erie. Tragically, a collision with the iron steam barge Brunswick, which took place 12 miles off Dunkirk, resulted in both vessels sinking. The incident was attributed to confusion in passing signals between the two ships. The Carlingford’s wreckage remained at the collision site.
The history of the Carlingford includes several noteworthy events. It was launched in August 1869 and subsequently enrolled in Port Huron, MI, on September 7, under the ownership of Robert Montgomery. However, the vessel encountered misfortune just a few months later when it sank near the Manitou Islands in Lake Michigan. Fortunately, the Carlingford was recovered and underwent a complete rebuild in 1870.
Over the years, the ownership of the schooner changed hands. In 1871, it was owned by Harrison & McKibbin, based in Buffalo, NY. Mericle of Dunkirk, NY, assumed ownership in 1876 and 1879. The Carlingford faced another setback in 1879 when it stranded on Horseshoe Reef, located near Buffalo, NY, in Lake Erie. However, the vessel was rebuilt once again in 1880.
In October 1881, the Carlingford was chartered for a specific cargo assignment. It transported 30 flat cars and one locomotive with a tender from Duluth to Port Arthur. Unfortunately, the following year, in 1881, the Carlingford met its final demise when it sank, bringing an end to its storied history.
