The CITY OF BUFFALO was a sidewheel steamer with a steel hull, built in 1896 by the Detroit Dry Dock Company in Wyandotte, Michigan. It featured a wooden superstructure for passenger accommodations. With a length of 298.3 feet, a beam of 43.7 feet, and a depth of 17 feet, it had a gross tonnage of 2,398 and a net tonnage of 1,262. Propelled by a sidewheel propulsion system, the steamer was equipped with a vertical beam (walking beam) engine with three cylinders and six scotch boilers. The powerful engine, generating 5,500 horsepower at 24 rpm, operated the 28.5-foot wheels with 12-foot buckets.
Throughout its operational history, the CITY OF BUFFALO served on the Buffalo and Cleveland route. Notably, in 1896, it completed 306 trips to Buffalo during the Pan American Exposition. Over time, the steamer underwent modifications, including a lengthening in 1903-1904, resulting in its final dimensions of 340.3 feet by 43.7 feet by 17 feet.
Tragically, on March 19, 1937, the CITY OF BUFFALO fell victim to a devastating fire in Cleveland, Ohio, which completely gutted the vessel. Fortunately, there were no casualties. The steamer was owned by William Nicholson of Detroit, Michigan. In 1940, the hulk of the burned CITY OF BUFFALO was scrapped, with its remains breaking up in the Rouge River. The dismantling process was carried out by Nicholson.
The CITY OF BUFFALO had a distinguished history as a popular cruise liner, serving passengers and transporting freight along its designated route for several decades. However, its final chapter was marked by the tragic fire that consumed the vessel, bringing an end to its illustrious career on the waters of Lake Erie.
