History
The CITY OF BUFFALO was initially built in 1861 by Peck & Masters in Cleveland as a propeller canal boat. It had a length of 91 feet, a beam of 17 feet, and a depth of 9 feet, with a tonnage of 128. It was later converted into a barkentine, a three-masted sailing vessel commonly used in the grain trade. The ship measured 143.8 feet in length, 30.2 feet in beam, and had a depth of 11.4 feet, with a tonnage of 455.
On September 13, 1875, the CITY OF BUFFALO encountered a storm off the end of the piers at Sand Beach, Michigan, in Lake Huron. It struck a rock in the St. Mary’s River and subsequently ran most of Lake Huron in the gale before beaching and sinking. The ship was carrying a cargo of iron ore at the time of the incident. The tug Magnet worked for days to release the vessel, but it eventually went to pieces on September 19. There were no reported casualties.
Prior to this event, the CITY OF BUFFALO had faced other mishaps. It had run ashore near Cove Island in Lake Huron twice in May 1871. In 1870, it had also grounded on Drummond Island in Lake Huron and collided with the NORTHERN BELLE off Old Mackinaw.
The wreck of the CITY OF BUFFALO remained in its final resting place at Sand Beach, Michigan, until 1877 when it was blown up to clear the channel. Despite its unfortunate fate, the CITY OF BUFFALO played a role in the maritime history of the Great Lakes as a canal boat and later as a barkentine.
