Shipbuilding History

Shipbuilding History
> U.S. Builders of Large Ships Since WWII

AmShip Buffalo

Buffalo NY

The AmShip yard in Buffalo NY was started in 1808 by Nathan Bidwell. The first graving docks were dug in 1836, on a site across the Buffalo River from the intersection of Chicago Street and Ohio Street. A major client, Union Steamboat Company, invested in the yard in 1871 and bought Bidwell out in 1882, changing the name to Union Dry Dock Company. In 1900, Union leased the yard to the American Ship Building Company and it was renamed Buffalo Dry Dock: American Ship Building bought it outright in 1910 and in 1914 renamed it AmShip Buffalo. It effectively stopped building ships after World War One and, except for building a few tugs for the DPC in World War Two, it concentrated on ship repair until 1962, when AmShip closed it and sold it for redevelopment. Today it is an empty lot.

O/N Name Customer Type GT LOA Built Notes
Built by Bidwell & Banta
Queen City Charles M. Reed freighter 906 1848 barge 1862
Northern Indiana Michigan Southern RR freighter 1,475 1852 burned 1856
Southern Michigan Michigan Southern RR freighter 1,470 1852 scrapped 1863
Crescent City Dean Richmond freighter 1,746 1853 scrapped 1863
City of Buffalo Michigan Southern RR freighter 2,026 1857 Bulker 1864, barge 1866, abandoned 1875
Built by Union Dry Dock Co.
1 80265 William H. Tweed Union Steamboat Co freighter 1,299 216 1871 later Newburgh, stranded 1892
2 110155 Rambler tugboat 42 57 1873
3 75602 James L. Beckwith tugboat 103 59 1872
4 80432 Waverly Union Steamboat Co freighter 1,104 191 1874 lost in collision off Harbor Beach MI 1903
5 115381 Starucca Union Steamboat Co freighter 1,313 1874 wrecked off Grand Marais MI 1888
6 150042 Portage Union Steamboat Co freighter 1,608 238 1875 later George H Van Vleck 1909, foundered 1918
7 150084 Pacific tugboat 42 62 1876
8 80598 Wissahickon Erie & Western Transportation freighter 1,619 238 1876 later Wasaga 1906, burned in Copper Harbor MI 1910
9 105624 Andrew J. Smith Frank Perry tugboat 239 117 1876
10 105733 Avon Union Steamboat Co freighter 1,702 251 1877 later Stormount 1919,wrecked in the Williamsburg Canal 1920
11 130125 Nyack Union Steamboat Co passenger 1,257 231 1878 later cargo ship 1916, breakwater at Big Summer I. WI 1933
12 75012 Juniata Erie & Western Transportation freighter 1,708 252 1878 later Winnipeg 1905, Weavercoal 1923, wrecked Montreal 1929
13 85539 Gazelle yacht 36 1878
14 130157 New York Union Steamboat Co freighter 1,921 269 1879 burned Thunder Bay MI 1910
15 91135 Minnie Matham tugboat 12 42 1879
16 91151 M. M. Drake tugboat 13 43 1879
17 110438 Rochester Union Steamboat Co freighter 2,220 267 1880 later Sydney C McLouth 1906, burned Pennsaukee WI 1912
18 95608 Huntress yacht 114 109 1880
19 145222 T. M. Moore tugboat 25 52 1880
20 145231 Tom Matham tugboat 39 63 1880
21 76204 John C. Gault Wabash-St Louis RR freighter 1,212 218 1881 later Felix Carbray 1908, Crescent 1916, foundered 1916
22 110472 Russell Sage Wabash-St Louis RR freighter 1,224 218 1881 later barge Atlasco 1917, foundered 1921
23 155034 O. W. Cheney tugboat 41 62 1881
24 105994 A. C. Adams J-Ash & others tugboat 41 62 1881
25 95712 H. J. Jewett Union Steamboat Co freighter 1,953 265 Sep 1982 later Binghampton 1903, wrecked Gannet Rock Ledge 1921
26 126018 Cornelia passenger 38 61 1882
27 95684 Hecla J-Ash & others freighter 1,167 224 1882 later Captain Dan 1917, scrapped 1930
28 115833 Shaughraun tugboat 43 60 May 1982
29 Will Moore scow 1882
30 76318 J. W. Hahn tugboat 31 41 1882 scrapped
31 91485 M. M. Drake J-Green freighter 1,102 201 1882 foundered 1901
32 120513 Fred Mercur Lehigh Valley Transportation freighter 1,293 232 1882 burned near Stanley I. 1925
33 William P. Fessenden USCG revenue cutter 330 198 Sep 1983 later Chippewa 1909, barge 1938, scrapped 1943
34 115917 Shaughraun tugboat 45 60 June 1983
35 155067 O. A. Crandall tugboat 17 42 1882
36 Commodore Perry USCG cutter 451 404 June 1984 sunk 1910
37 John B. Hawley USCG launch 16 1883
38 126237 Calumet Danforth & Pratt freighter 1,526 257 1884 wrecked Fort Sheridan IL 1889
39 145405 Tioga Union Steamboat Co freighter 2,085 285 June 1885 wrecked N. Eagle River MI 1919
40 Comm. James Pratt scow 1885
41 116128 Susquehanna Erie & Western Transportation freighter 2,500 302 Nov 1886 later Papyrus 1923, Da Costa 1925, Papyrus 1925, scrapped 1925
42 Maytham No. 2 scow 1886
43 155153 Owego Union Steamboat Co freighter 2,611 326 Apr 1888 later Yin Tung 1925, Ting On, Voo Yang 1930, Buyo Go 1942, wrecked 1944
44 126495 Chemung Union Steamboat Co freighter 2,615 326 Mar 1888 later George F Brownell 1914, Chemung 1915, torpedoed and sunk 1916
45 76755 Julian V. O'Brien tugboat 57 68 1888
46 81204 W. I. Babcock tugboat 63 71 1888
47 86017 Grace Danforth tugboat 65 72 1888
48 106638 America J-Kelderhouse freighter 2,171 275 Apr 1889 later Glenstriven 1919, wrecked Cove I. ON 1923, scrapped 1924
49 161612 Viking F W Gilchrist freighter 1,117 217 Sep 1889 later Clinton 1920, Viking 1925, scrapped 1936
50 110841 Robert H. Hebard tugboat 65 69 1889 scrapped 1916
51 3467 Brazil M M Drake freighter 2,186 276 Feb 1890 later Glenbrae 1919, dredger Brazil 1925, scrapped 1949
52 116340 S. C. Reynolds Lake Erie Transportation freighter 1,895 255 June 1890 later John G McCullough 1912, torpedoed and lost 1918
53 City of Buffalo Chautauqua SB Co passenger 1890 assembled in Jamestown NY
54 106738 Alva B Vessel Owners Towing tugboat 83 73 1890
55 116358 S. C. Schenck S C Schenk tugboat 126 90 Oct 1890
56 81283 William L. Scott tugboat 54 68 1890
57 106802 Apalachee A. J. Sweeney & Sons passenger 161 Feb 1891 assembled in Wheeling WV
58 145580 Townsend Davis tugboat 67 70 1890
59 100490 Island Belle Ossian Bedell passenger 153 93 1891
60 120839 Frank W Frank Gilchrist tugboat 93 75 May 1891
61 92314 Major barge 147 1891
62 W. C. Rhinearson Chautauqua SB Co passenger 83 1891 assembled in Jamestown NY
63 150542 Pier New York Dock Dept tugboat 99 Aug 1891
64 136214 Edward Gillen Knapp & Gillen tugboat 57 68 1891
65 Mary Belle Lake Keuka Nav. passenger 1892 assembled in Hammondsport NY
66 126886 Codorus Erie & Western Transportation freighter 2,165 275 July 1892 scrapped 1919
67 56605 Red Jacket scow 310 1892
68 136360 Erastus Day Hand & Johnston tugboat 69 70 June 1893
69 126955 Cris Grover tugboat 56 69 1893
70 81435 Wm. Kennedy Vessel Owners Towing tugboat 86 1893
71 86267 George J. Gould Lake Erie Transportation freighter 2,237 266 Sep 1893 later Granville A Richardson 1912, Glencairn 1919, Nassau 1926, scrapped 1951
72 145645 Tonawanda tugboat 31 59 1893
73 120969 Fabian tugboat 71 71 1894
74 U.S. Government scow 1894
75 John H. Farley City of Cleveland tugboat 109 1894
76 127088 Cascade O. W. Cheney tugboat 72 73 1895
77 136651 Enquirer W. J. Conners yacht 140 July 1896
78 111123 Ramapo Union Steamboat Co freighter 3,045 319 Aug 1896 later F D Underwood 1912, scrapped 1940
79 116763 S. O. Company No. 81 Standard Oil tank barge 1,774 June 1897
80 116786 Starrucca Erie Railroad freighter 3,114 326 Aug 1897 later Delos W Cooke 1913, Steel King 1941, cut into two barges 1954
81 107302 America Erie Tug Line tugboat 123 83 Aug 1897
82 162758 Reciprocity Dunbar & Sullivan scow 446 1897
83 162759 Monroe Doctrine Dunbar & Sullivan scow 446 1897
84 29616 Queen tugboat 29 40 1897 later Carlotta
85 127241 Charles F. Dunbar Maytham Line tugboat 136 86 May 1898
86 92852 Marion Hickler Bros. tugboat 63 70 May 1898
87 Yankee T. A. Gillespie Co. dredge 404 1898
88 56689 Roughrider T. A. Gillespie Co. dredge 404 1898
89 launch 1898 44' waterboat
90 3805 Buffalo Western Transit Co freighter 3,951 382 Sep 1899 later P E Crowley 1925, Kurikka 1947, scrapped 1953
91 127391 C. Persons Sons canal boat 49 Dec 1899 canal boat
Ordered from Union Dry Dock but built by Buffalo Dry Dock Co.
92 81733 Wilkes-Barre Lehigh Valley Transportation freighter 4,153 382 Dec 1900 later Edward E Loomis 1921, scrapped 1940
93 Dunbar & Sullivan barge 79 1900 Two of these four barges were named Cyclone and Tornado: we don't know which
94 Dunbar & Sullivan barge 79 1900
95 Dunbar & Sullivan barge 79 1900
96 Dunbar & Sullivan barge 79 1900
97 86536 Georgetown Atlantic Coast Lumber freighter 1,358 243 Dec 1900 later Etretat 1917, foundered in North Atlantic 1917
98 93133 Mauch Chunk Lehigh Valley Transportation freighter 4,499 382 June 1901 later W J Conners 1921, Malacca Straits 1947, W J Conners 1948, Haeringur 1948m, scrapped 1957
99 155414 Ossian Bedell Buffalo & Erie Tpt. passenger 296 104 May 1901
100 127590 Chicago Western Transit Co freighter 3,195 324 Nov 1901 wrecked Michipicoten Is. 1929
Built by Buffalo Dry Dock Co.
200 111354 Rocket fishing tugboat 39 62 Aug 1901
201 81804 William Nottingham United States Transportation laker 4,234 376 Apr 1902 scrapped 1947
202 30291 Alexander Maitland Franklin Transportation laker 3,351 July 1902
203 77580 J. S. Keefe Great Lakes & St L Transportation laker 1,640 239 May 1903 later Parame 1916, Glenfarn 1921, Canmore 1927, Ashleaf 1942, Manzzutti 1951, scrapped 1971
204 111466 Robert Wallace Great Lakes & St L Transportation laker 1,640 239 June 1903 later Tregastel 1916, Glendowan 1921, Chandler 1927, Aspenleaf 1942, Helen Hindman 1949, Grovedale 1952, scrapped 1959.
205 200346 P. P. Miller Miller Steamship laker 3,845 354 Oct 1903 later Collier 1920, John McCartney Kennedy 1922, R E Moody 1937, scrapped 1959
206 200537 Marquette & Bessemer No. 1 Flint & Pere Marquette RR Ro-ro Laker 1,732 241 Dec 1903 later Carollton 1937, scrapped 1961
207 162466 Norman Kelley Kelley's I. Transportation barge 513 July 1905
208 162507 James H. Pellet Kelley's I. Transportation barge 346 Aug 1905
209 203983 Favorite Great Lakes Towing salvage tugboat 1,223 181 Apr 1907 to USN 1918 as Favourite (SP-1385/IX-45), to Peru 1948 as Guardian Rios, Rios, struck 1958
210 204416 Wissahickon Erie & Western Transportation laker 4,062 350 Aug 1907 later Daniel Willard 1925, Anne Marie 1948, scrapped 1954
211 163349 Reliance Great Lakes Towing crane barge 1,738 Oct 1907
212 204745 Harvard Great Lakes Towing tugboat 75 71 Nov 1907
213 205096 Americana Lake Erie Excursion passenger 1,009 203 May 1908 scrapped 1953
214 205261 Honduras Davidson Steamship laker 2,350 248 June 1908 later Guarany 1919, burned in Barbados 1919
215 207479 Canadiana Lake Erie Excursion passenger 974 210 June 1910 hulked 1959, scrapped 2004
216 207434 Niagara Frontier Buffalo & Fort Erie Tpt. Co. ferry 421 120 May 1910
217 207808 West Shore Pickands Mather lighter 675 Aug 1910 scrapped 1974
218 208690 Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Coal Co lighter 1,270 June 1911 abandoned 1948
219 164473 derrick No. 5 Great Lakes Dredge dredge 329 July 1911
Built by the American Shipbuilding Company
900 No. 2 scow 1911 no trace
901 No. 3 scow 1911 no trace
212345 E. N. Smith American Ship Building tugboat 20 49 July 1914 later AmerShip
212746 H. G. Smith American Ship Building tugboat 20 49 Nov 1914
902 AT-19 Huron/Allegheny US Navy tugboat 750d 156 May 1918 scrapped 1947
903 AT-20 Comanche/Sagamore US Navy tugboat 750d 156 June 1918 sold 1948 as John E McAllister, scrapped 1953
904 216669 Lake Bledsoe USSB freighter 2,316 251 July 1918 scrapped 1926
905 216903 Lake Delancey USSB freighter 2,316 251 Sep 1918 scrapped 1927
906 217057 Lake Galera USSB freighter 2,316 251 Oct 1918 later Dora Weems 1925, Dora 1928, Sniaffiocco 1937, Sereno 1940, bombed and lost at Tobruk 1940
907 217139 Lake Otsquago USSB freighter 2,337 251 Nov 1918 scrapped 1926.
908 217309 Lake Cathcoon USSB freighter 2,319 251 Dec 1918 scrapped 1926
909 217857 Lake Fugard USSB freighter 2,607 251 June 1919 scrapped 1927
910 217856 Lake Furley USSB freighter 2,607 251 June 1919 scrapped 1926.
911 218472 Lake Furlough USSB freighter 2,607 251 July 1919 scrapped 1926.
912 218954 Lake Fernando USSB freighter 2,594 251 Sep 1919 later Munami 1926, Lisieux 1940, foundered 1940.
913 219186 Lake Ferrona USSB freighter 2,598 251 Oct 1919 completed at AmShip Cleveland, Turkmen 1930, scrapped 1960
914 219213 Lake Fessenden USSB freighter 2,599 251 Nov 1919 completed at AmShip Cleveland, Cumberland 1925, Western Head 1939, torpedoed and lost 1942
221267 Service American Ship Building work boat 190 May 1921
227455 Sid Jr. American Ship Building work boat 12 38 Apr 1928
915 173884 Junior Great Lakes Dredge dredge 434 110 1937 sold to British owners 1959
916 244419 DPC-93 DPC tugboat 146 81 Oct 1943 sold 1946 as Kevin Moran, Mutela 1947, NLD 1953
917 244420 DPC-94 DPC tugboat 146 81 Oct 1943 to WSA as WSA-15, to USN as YT-478, YTM-478 1944, back to WSA 1946 as WSA-15
918 244421 DPC-95 DPC tugboat 146 81 Oct 1943 to USA as ST-764, sold 1946 in Greece, Grangetown 1950, Polaris 1970, in Croatia 1992
919 244422 DPC-96 DPC tugboat 146 81 Oct 1943 to USA as ST-765, sold 1946 as Hippone, in Algeria 1964
920 244515 DPC-97 DPC tugboat 146 81 Nov 1943 to USA as ST-766, sold 1946 as Rekin, NLD 1966
921 244517 DPC-98 DPC tugboat 146 81 Nov 1943 sold 1946 as Ferry Point, Captain RK 1950, Dianne M. 1988, NLD 1989
922 244518 DPC-99 DPC tugboat 146 81 Nov 1943 to USA as ST-767, sold 1945 as Cornhill, Hannah Spearing 1980, burned off Fleetwood and scrapped 1996
923 244518 DPC-100 DPC tugboat 146 81 Nov 1943 to USA as ST-768, sold 1948 as Kronos, Whitburn 1964, Abou Shanab 1978, scrapped 2005
258807 American American Ship Building tugboat 29 47 Oct 1949
924 268858 Service II American Ship Building work boat 149 87 Dec 1954
925 Federal Grasse River St. Lawrence Seaway Gatelifter 754 1958

Printed from shipbuildinghistory.njscuba.net