Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record

This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Vessel Name: Ellington
• Official Number: 7235
• Build Date & Yard: Built in 1847 by J. Keating, Vermilion, Ohio (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
• Type: Wooden two-masted schooner, 143 tons.
• Dimensions: 102 × 22 × 9 ft (Approx. 31.1 × 6.7 × 2.7 m) (Squarespace, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Vessel Type

Cargo Vessel / Schooner
Primarily used for handling bulk freight—in this case, hauling stone blocks.

Description

Ellington was a mid-19th century wooden-hulled schooner, featuring two masts and a modest cargo hold built to transport heavy cargo such as stone. Her frame and planking were robust enough for this service but subject to deterioration over time.

History & Final Voyage

• Career Highlights:
  • Built in 1847; originally part of the Bradley fleet.
  • Damaged in the Chicago Fire of 1871; repaired and returned to service (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
  • Reported damaged from a collision near Toledo in 1869; again rebuilt (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
• Loss Details:
  • Occurred in late October 1873, during a severe storm at Buffalo Harbor, Lake Erie (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
  • Fully loaded with stone blocks, Ellington struck the breakwater amid gale-force winds.
  • Sank at the harbor entrance and deemed “too overaged to rescue”, resulting in complete loss (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
  • All crew were lost; no survivors reported (linkstothepast.com).

Final Disposition

• Sunken: Struck breakwater and sank at harbor mouth.
• Salvage/Inquiry: None recorded; old age contributed to loss.
• Insurance/Legal: No specific records found—likely total loss.

Located By & Wreck Condition

• Site Location: Remains presumably lie at the harbor entrance at Buffalo. No confirmed modern surveys publicly documented.
• Condition Status: Unknown; due to age and harbor activity, wreck may be buried or fragmented. Potential for remains beneath harbor sediments.

Research Gaps & Next Steps

• Historical Archives: Seek Buffalo newspapers (late October 1873) for rescue, insurance, or U.S. Coast Guard reports.
• Harbor Charts: Inspect historical harbor engineering plans for breakwater orientation and possible wreck zones.
• Modern Survey: Recommend side-scan sonar and magnetometer sweeps near the breakwater entrance.
• Permitting: Coordinate with New York State Museum, NOAA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for underwater archaeology permissions.

Summary Profile

Significance

The Ellington offers a window into the mid-19th-century schooner trade in Great Lakes maritime commerce. Her cumulative damages and final demise highlight the life cycle risks faced by working schooners. Though not formally surveyed, her resting location at a busy harbor entrance may still hold fragmentary remains valuable for heritage documentation and public interest.

Resources & Links

• Great Lakes Shipwreck Files entry: Ellington details (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Maritime Executive, Wisconsin Sea Grant).
• Recommended archives: Buffalo Courier, Buffalo Express (Oct 1873).
• Suggested data sources: U.S. Coast Guard logs, Army Corps harbor plans.

Conclusion

Although Ellington‘s remains remain largely lost to time, her documented final voyage during a violent storm and her repeated repairs make her historically significant. A targeted underwater survey would clarify her preservation state and contribute to Buffalo’s maritime archaeology portfolio. Let me know if you’d like help drafting archival requests or planning a heritage dive investigation.