Birmingham #
History
The Birmingham was a wooden schooner built in 1843 in Vermillion, Ohio, a period when maritime activity on the Great Lakes was booming. With a tonnage of 138, the Birmingham was designed to transport cargo across Lake Erie, a crucial artery for commerce in the 19th century. Despite not having an official registration number, the Birmingham played an active role in the Great Lakes shipping industry for over a decade.
On December 4, 1854, the Birmingham encountered its final and most catastrophic incident. While transporting a cargo of coal from Erie, Pennsylvania, to Buffalo, New York, the vessel was caught in a severe snowstorm. The treacherous weather conditions drove the schooner onto Horseshoe Reef, located just in front of Buffalo Harbor on Lake Erie. The exact fate of the Birmingham after this grounding is a subject of some debate. Some sources claim that the vessel was successfully recovered, while others suggest that it was destroyed by the storm or the subsequent impact on the reef.
The estimated loss of the Birmingham was around $4,000, a significant sum at the time and roughly equivalent to the vessel’s value. Fortunately, there were no casualties reported, which was a rare outcome in such severe maritime incidents.
The grounding on Horseshoe Reef was not the Birmingham’s first brush with disaster. On April 8, 1851, the schooner went ashore during a storm at Port Burwell on Lake Erie. This incident was reported alongside the grounding of other vessels, such as the Atalanta, Brewster, and Wabash. Notably, the Atalanta was declared a total loss, underscoring the dangers that vessels like the Birmingham faced when navigating the Great Lakes, particularly in poor weather conditions.
Throughout its operational life, the Birmingham was enrolled in different ports, reflecting its varied use and the shifting demands of the shipping industry. From 1847 to 1849, the schooner was enrolled in Sandusky, Ohio, before moving to Buffalo, New York, where it remained from 1850 until its loss in 1854.
Conclusion
The Birmingham’s story is emblematic of the many vessels that navigated the Great Lakes during the 19th century, facing the ever-present risks of storms, grounding, and loss. While the exact details of its final fate remain uncertain, the Birmingham’s history from its construction in 1843 to its potential destruction in 1854 highlights the challenges of maritime life on the Great Lakes. The vessel’s experiences, particularly its grounding on Horseshoe Reef, contribute to the rich tapestry of Great Lakes maritime history, reflecting the hardships faced by sailors and ship owners of the time.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Ships Database
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Historical Newspapers: The Morning Express of Buffalo, April 1851 – Report on the Birmingham’s grounding at Port Burwell.
Keywords
Birmingham, schooner, Great Lakes shipwreck, Lake Erie, Horseshoe Reef, Buffalo Harbor, Vermillion Ohio, coal transport, maritime history, vessel loss, storm wreck
