Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Massasoit
- Type: wooden schooner-barge
- Year Built: 1882
- Builder: Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: 238 gross tons / 238 net tons
- Location: Waterworks intake crib, Niagara River
- Coordinates: N/A
- Official Number: 51214
- Original Owners: N/A
- Number of Masts: N/A
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Massasoit is classified as a wooden schooner-barge, specifically an unrigged lumber scow used for transporting lumber on the Niagara River.
Description
At the time of her loss, the Massasoit was engaged in carrying lumber. She struck the waterworks intake crib and grounded violently, leading to her hull being declared unrecoverable and uneconomical to salvage. Subsequently, the wreck was dynamited to eliminate the hazard to navigation.
History
The Massasoit was built in 1882, although some records indicate a construction year of 1874, possibly due to name reuse. She was registered under the official number 51214 and had a gross and net tonnage of 238 tons. The vessel was lost on November 25, 1904, when she stranded on the waterworks intake crib in the Niagara River, part of the Lake Erie system.
Significant Incidents
- No crew was aboard at the time of the incident, resulting in no casualties. The incident was non-fatal, and no crew rescue was necessary.
Final Disposition
The Massasoit was declared a total loss after stranding on the intake crib. The hull was removed via dynamite to clear the navigational obstruction, and the official registry entry was terminated following the incident.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck site is located at the waterworks intake crib in the Niagara River. Due to the removal and dynamiting operations, no remains of the vessel are available today.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”massasoit-us-51214″ title=”References & Links”]
While the Massasoit no longer exists as a physical wreck, its history remains significant in the context of maritime navigation and safety in the Niagara River area.
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.
(wooden schooner‑barge, built 1874 – stranded November 25, 1904; Lake Erie, Niagara River, near Buffalo/Erie area)
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Massasoit (sometimes referred as schooner‑barge)
- Official Number: 51214
- Build Year & Yard: Built in 1882 at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin (reported as built 1882, though your record gives 1874—possibly due to name reuse).
- Tonnage: 238 gross tons / 238 net tons
- Type at Loss: Unrigged wooden scow or barge, carrying lumber
- Loss Date: November 25, 1904
- Loss Location: Stranded on the waterworks intake crib in the Niagara River, above Niagara Falls, on Lake Erie system.
- Fatalities: None
(alcheminc.com, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Description & Cargo
At the time of loss, Massasoit was being used as a wooden lumber scow or unrigged barge; registry noted her carrying lumber on the Niagara River. She struck the waterworks intake crib and grounded violently. The hull was unrecoverable and considered uneconomical to salvage, later dynamited as a hazard to navigation.
(Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Crew & Casualties
- No crew aboard (as unrigged barge service), thus no casualties. The incident was non-fatal and no crew rescue was needed.
(Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, alcheminc.com)
Final Disposition
- Outcome: Stranded and wrecked on intake crib; hull declared total loss. Removed via dynamite to clear navigational obstruction.
- Official registry entry terminated post-incident.
(alcheminc.com)
Located By & Wreck Status
- Wreck Site: Located at waterworks intake crib in the Niagara River. No remains available today due to removal and dynamiting operations.
- Archaeological Effort: No dive or survey reported; site was actively cleared.
(alcheminc.com)
Notices to Mariners & Hazard Disposal
- The hull was later dynamited by authorities to eliminate hazard posed by obstruction to the intake crib and river traffic.
- No formal Notices to Mariners (paper records) were publicly documented, although the removal operations imply hazard clearance.
(alcheminc.com)
Research Gaps & Next-Step Recommendations
- Builder & Registry Files: Confirm build year (1874 vs. 1882) by consulting U.S. Enrollment Records, vessel registration forms (#51214).
- Local Press Archives (Nov 1904): Investigate Buffalo or Niagara Falls newspapers (e.g. Niagara Falls Gazette, Buffalo Courier) for wreck reports or municipal notices about the dynamiting.
- Port Authority / Waterworks Agency Records: Search city engineering archives for documentation of hazard removal operations.
- Insurance/Salvage Logs: May provide financial details of cargo loss or vessel valuation.
Summary Table
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name / No. | Massasoit – Official No. 51214 |
| Build | 1882 (Sturgeon Bay, WI); registry discrepancy vs. reported 1874 |
| Type & Cargo | Unrigged lumber barge / scow |
| Loss Date | November 25 1904 |
| Location | Waterworks intake crib, Niagara River (Lake Erie system) |
| Casualties | None |
| Disposition | Stranded, declared worthless; later dynamited to clear hazard |
| Wreck Condition | Removed—no remains available |