Vessel Name: D. P. Dobbins #
Official Numbers: U.S.6095 (U.S.), C.126228 (Canada)
Year of Build: 1863
Built at: Cleveland, Ohio
Vessel Type: Wooden schooner barge
Dimensions:
- Length: 162.3 feet
- Beam: 31.6 feet
- Depth: 12.2 feet
- Gross Tonnage: 448 tons
- Net Tonnage: 425 tons
Construction and Early History
The D. P. Dobbins was a wooden schooner barge built in 1863 in Cleveland, Ohio, and was named after Captain D. P. Dobbins, a renowned shipowner from Buffalo, New York. Originally used in the Great Lakes shipping industry, this vessel served a variety of owners throughout its career, initially operating under U.S. registry and later under Canadian ownership.
The D. P. Dobbins was primarily designed as a barge to transport heavy goods, such as bulk cargo, across the Great Lakes, playing a key role in the region’s growing industrial economy during the second half of the 19th century. Over the years, the vessel was owned by several U.S. operators, including the Argo Steamship Co. of Cleveland, a major shipping company of the era.
Ownership History and Canadian Service
By 1914, the D. P. Dobbins was acquired by Point Anne Quarries Ltd. from the Reid Wrecking Co. of Sarnia, Ontario. Under its new ownership, the vessel became part of the quarrying and stone transport operations in Canada, likely transporting limestone or other heavy quarry materials, a common cargo for barges at the time.
Final Years and Disposition
The D. P. Dobbins was no longer in active service by the early 1920s, having been laid up in the West Market Street slip in Toronto. The vessel remained in the slip for several years, taking up valuable space as the harbor underwent expansion and modernization. Around 1926, as Toronto Harbour continued to develop, it was necessary to remove derelict vessels to make way for further growth.
The hull of the D. P. Dobbins was subsequently raised from the slip, towed out into Lake Ontario, and scuttled in deep water. This practice of scuttling decommissioned ships was common at the time, as it provided an efficient way to dispose of old vessels while clearing space in busy ports.
Historical Significance
The D. P. Dobbins is a prime example of the workhorse vessels that supported the booming industrial economy of the Great Lakes during the 19th and early 20th centuries. From its time in Cleveland under various U.S. owners to its final role with Point Anne Quarries in Canada, the vessel served in both commercial shipping and the quarrying industries.
Its final years in Toronto Harbour reflect the changing nature of port infrastructure, as older ships were cleared away to make room for newer, more modern vessels and the expanding waterfront. The scuttling of the D. P. Dobbins in Lake Ontario marked the end of its service, but it remains part of the broader maritime history of the Great Lakes.
Summary of Key Events: #
- 1863: Built in Cleveland, Ohio as a wooden schooner barge.
- Operated under various U.S. owners, including the Argo Steamship Co. of Cleveland.
- 1914: Acquired by Point Anne Quarries Ltd. from the Reid Wrecking Co..
- Early 1920s: Retired from active service and laid up in the West Market Street slip in Toronto.
- 1926: Hull raised and scuttled in Lake Ontario to make way for harbor development.
The D. P. Dobbins is remembered as a key vessel in the shipping and quarrying industries, with its eventual scuttling marking the end of a long and productive career on the Great Lakes.
