AmShip Buffalo, Buffalo Dry Dock, Union Dry Dock, Bidwell & Banta

AmShip Buffalo (Buffalo Dry Dock, Union Dry Dock, Bidwell & Banta), 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: see it from the air on Google here. Comments or queries, please email info@navalmarinearchive.com.

Most recent update: 6 November 2021.

Hull#	O.N.	Original Name	Owner	Type	GT	Feet	Built	Disposition
Built by Bidwell & Banta
		Queen City	Charles M. Reed	Cargo	906		1848	Barge 1862
		Northern Indiana	Michigan Southern RR	Cargo	1,475		1852	Burned 1856
		Southern Michigan	Michigan Southern RR	Cargo	1,470		1852	Scrapped 1863
		Crescent City	Dean Richmond	Cargo	1,746		1853	Scrapped 1863
		City of Buffalo	Michigan Southern RR	Cargo	2,026		1857	Bulker 1864, barge 1866, abandoned 1875
Built by Union Dry Dock Co.
1	80265	William H. Tweed	Union Steamboat Co	Cargo	1,299	216	1871	Later Newburgh, stranded 1892
2	110155	Rambler		Tug	42	57	1873
3	75602	James L. Beckwith		Tug	103	59	1872
4	80432	Waverly	Union Steamboat Co	Cargo	1,104	191	1874	Lost in collision off Harbor Beach MI 1903
5	115381	Starucca	Union Steamboat Co	Cargo	1,313		1874	Wrecked off Grand Marais MI 1888
6	150042	Portage	Union Steamboat Co	Cargo	1,608	238	1875	Later George H Van Vleck 1909, foundered 1918
7	150084	Pacific		Tug	42	62	1876
8	80598	Wissahickon	Erie & Western Tptn	Cargo	1,619	238	1876	Later Wasaga 1906, burnt in Copper Harbor MI 1910
9	105624	Andrew J. Smith	Frank Perry	Tug	239	117	1876
10	105733	Avon	Union Steamboat Co	Cargo	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 Tptn	Cargo	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	Cargo	1,921	269	1879	Burnt Thunder Bay MI 1910
15	91135	Minnie Matham		Tug	12	42	1879
16	91151	M. M. Drake		Tug	13	43	1879
17	110438	Rochester	Union Steamboat Co	Cargo	2,220	267	1880	Later Sydney C McLouth 1906, burnt Pennsaukee WI 1912
18	95608	Huntress		Yacht	114	109	1880
19	145222	T. M. Moore		Tug	25	52	1880
20	145231	Tom Matham		Tug	39	63	1880
21	76204	John C. Gault	Wabash-St Louis RR	Cargo	1,212	218	1881	Later Felix Carbray 1908, Crescent 1916, foundered 1916
22	110472	Russell Sage	Wabash-St Louis RR	Cargo	1,224	218	1881	Later barge Atlasco 1917, foundered 1921
23	155034	O. W. Cheney		Tug	41	62	1881
24	105994	A. C. Adams	J Ash & others	Tug	41	62	1881
25	95712	H. J. Jewett	Union Steamboat Co	Cargo	1,953	265	Sep-82	Later Binghampton 1903, wrecked Gannet Rock Ledge 1921
26	126018	Cornelia		Passenger	38	61	1882
27	95684	Hecla	J Ash & others	Cargo	1,167	224	1882	Later Captain Dan 1917, scrapped 1930
28	115833	Shaughraun		Tug	43	60	May-82
29	none	Will Moore		Scow			1882
30	76318	J. W. Hahn		Tug	31	41	1882	Scrapped
31	91485	M. M. Drake	J Green	Cargo	1,102	201	1882	Foundered 1901
32	120513	Fred Mercur	Lehigh Valley Tptn	Cargo	1,293	232	1882	Burnt near Stanley I. 1925
33	na	William P. Fessenden	U.S. Coast Guard	Rev. Cutter	330	198	Sep-83	Later Chippewa 1909, barge 1938, scrapped 1943
34	115917	Shaughraun		Tug	45	60	Jun-83
35	155067	O. A. Crandall		Tug	17	42	1882
36	na	Commodore Perry	U.S. Coast Guard	Cutter	451	404	Jun-84	Sunk 1910
37	na	John B. Hawley	U.S. Coast Guard	Launch	16		1883
38	126237	Calumet	Danforth & Pratt	Cargo	1,526	257	1884	Wrecked Fort Sheridan IL 1889
39	145405	Tioga	Union Steamboat Co	Cargo	2,085	285	Jun-85	Wrecked N. Eagle River MI 1919
40	none	Comm. James Pratt		Scow			1885
41	116128	Susquehanna	Erie & Western Tptn	Cargo	2,500	302	Nov-86	Later Papyrus 1923, Da Costa 1925, Papyrus 1925, scrapped 1925
42	none	Maytham No. 2		Scow			1886
43	155153	Owego	Union Steamboat Co	Cargo	2,611	326	Apr-88	Later Yin Tung 1925, Ting On, Voo Yang 1930, Buyo Go 1942, wrecked 1944
44	126495	Chemung	Union Steamboat Co	Cargo	2,615	326	Mar-88	Later George F Brownell 1914, Chemung 1915, torpedoed and sunk 1916
45	76755	Julian V. O'Brien		Tug	57	68	1888
46	81204	W. I. Babcock		Tug	63	71	1888
47	86017	Grace Danforth		Tug	65	72	1888
48	106638	America	J Kelderhouse	Cargo	2,171	275	Apr-89	Later Glenstriven 1919, wrecked Cove I. ON 1923, scrapped 1924
49	161612	Viking	F W Gilchrist	Cargo	1,117	217	Sep-89	Later Clinton 1920, Viking 1925, scrapped 1936
50	110841	Robert H. Hebard		Tug	65	69	1889	Scrapped 1916
51	3467	Brazil	M M Drake	Cargo	2,186	276	Feb-90	Later Glenbrae 1919, dredger Brazil 1925, scrapped 1949
52	116340	S. C. Reynolds	Lake Erie Tptn	Cargo	1,895	255	Jun-90	Later John G McCullough 1912, torpedoed and lost 1918
53	none	City of Buffalo	Chautauqua SB Co	Passenger			1890	Assembled in Jamestown NY
54	106738	Alva B	Vessel Owners Towing	Tug	83	73	1890
55	116358	S. C. Schenck	S C Schenk	Tug	126	90	Oct-90
56	81283	William L. Scott		Tug	54	68	1890
57	106802	Apalachee	A. J. Sweeney & Sons	Passenger	161		Feb-91	Assembled in Wheeling WV
58	145580	Townsend Davis		Tug	67	70	1890
59	100490	Island Belle	Ossian Bedell	Passenger	153	93	1891
60	120839	Frank W	Frank Gilchrist	Tug	93	75	May-91
61	92314	Major		Barge	147		1891
62	none	W. C. Rhinearson	Chautauqua SB Co	Passenger	83		1891	Assembled in Jamestown NY
63	150542	Pier	New York Dock Dept	Tug	99		Aug-91
64	136214	Edward Gillen	Knapp & Gillen	Tug	57	68	1891
65	none	Mary Belle	Lake Keuka Nav.	Passenger			1892	Assembled in Hammondsport NY
66	126886	Codorus	Erie & Western Tptn	Cargo	2,165	275	Jul-92	Scrapped 1919
67	56605	Red Jacket		Scow	310		1892
68	136360	Erastus Day	Hand & Johnston	Tug	69	70	Jun-93
69	126955	Cris Grover		Tug	56	69	1893
70	81435	Wm. Kennedy	Vessel Owners Towing	Tug	86		1893
71	86267	George J. Gould	Lake Erie Tptn	Cargo	2,237	266	Sep-93	Later Granville A Richardson 1912, Glencairn 1919, Nassau 1926, scrapped 1951
72	145645	Tonawanda		Tug	31	59	1893
73	120969	Fabian		Tug	71	71	1894
74	na	Unnamed	U.S. Government	Scow			1894
75	none	John H. Farley	City of Cleveland	Tug	109		1894
76	127088	Cascade	O. W. Cheney	Tug	72	73	1895
77	136651	Enquirer	W. J. Conners	Yacht	140		Jul-96
78	111123	Ramapo	Union Steamboat Co	Cargo	3,045	319	Aug-96	Later F D Underwood 1912, scrapped 1940
79	116763	S. O. Company No. 81	Standard Oil	Tank Barge	1,774		Jun-97
80	116786	Starrucca	Erie Railroad	Cargo	3,114	326	Aug-97	Later Delos W Cooke 1913, Steel King 1941, cut into two barges 1954
81	107302	America	Erie Tug Line	Tug	123	83	Aug-97
82	162758	Reciprocity	Dunbar & Sullivan	Scow	446		1897
83	162759	Monroe Doctrine	Dunbar & Sullivan	Scow	446		1897
84	29616	Queen		Tug	29	40	1897	Later Carlotta
85	127241	Charles F. Dunbar	Maytham Line	Tug	136	86	May-98
86	92852	Marion	Hickler Bros.	Tug	63	70	May-98
87	none	Yankee	T. A. Gillespie Co.	Dredge	404		1898
88	56689	Roughrider	T. A. Gillespie Co.	Dredge	404		1898
89	na	Unnamed		Launch			1898	44' waterboat
90	3805	Buffalo	Western Transit Co	Cargo	3,951	382	Sep-99	Later P E Crowley 1925, Kurikka 1947, scrapped 1953
91	127391	C. Persons Sons		Canal Boat	49		Dec-99	canal boat
Ordered from Union Dry Dock but built by Buffalo Dry Dock Co.
92	81733	Wilkes-Barre	Lehigh Valley Tptn	Cargo	4,153	382	Dec-00	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	Cargo	1,358	243	Dec-00	Later Etretat 1917, foundered in North Atlantic 1917
98	93133	Mauch Chunk	Lehigh Valley Tptn	Cargo	4,499	382	Jun-01	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-01
100	127590	Chicago	Western Transit Co	Cargo	3,195	324	Nov-01	Wrecked Michipicoten Is. 1929
Built by Buffalo Dry Dock Co.
200	111354	Rocket		Fishing Tug	39	62	Aug-01
201	81804	William Nottingham	United States Tptn	Laker	4,234	376	Apr-02	Scrapped 1947
202	30291	Alexander Maitland	Franklin Tptn. Co.	Laker	3,351		Jul-02
203	77580	J. S. Keefe	Great Lakes & St L Tptn	Laker	1,640	239	May-03	Later Parame 1916, Glenfarn 1921, Canmore 1927, Ashleaf 1942, Manzzutti 1951, scrapped 1971
204	111466	Robert Wallace	Great Lakes & St L Tptn	Laker	1,640	239	Jun-03	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-03	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-03	Later Carollton 1937, scrapped 1961
207	162466	Norman Kelley	Kelley's I. Tptn. Co.	Barge	513		Jul-05
208	162507	James H. Pellet	Kelley's I. Tptn. Co.	Barge	346		Aug-05
209	203983	Favorite	Great Lakes Towing	Salvage Tug	1,223	181	Apr-07	To USN 1918 as Favourite (SP-1385/IX 45), to Peru 1948 as Guardian Rios, later Rios, struck 1958
210	204416	Wissahickon	Erie & Western Tptn	Laker	4,062	350	Aug-07	Later Daniel Willard 1925, Anne Marie 1948, scrapped 1954
211	163349	Reliance	Great Lakes Towing	Crane Barge	1,738		Oct-07
212	204745	Harvard	Great Lakes Towing	Tug	75	71	Nov-07
213	205096	Americana	Lake Erie Excursion	Passenger	1,009	203	May-08	Scrapped 1953
214	205261	Honduras	Davidson Steamship	Laker	2,350	248	Jun-08	Later Guarany 1919, burnt in Barbados 1919
215	207479	Canadiana	Lake Erie Excursion	Passenger	974	210	Jun-10	Hulked 1959, scrapped 2004
216	207434	Niagara Frontier	Buffalo & Fort Erie Tpt. Co.	Ferry	421	120	May-10
217	207808	West Shore	Pickands Mather	Lighter	675		Aug-10	Scrapped 1974
218	208690	Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh Coal Co	Lighter	1,270		Jun-11	Abandoned 1948
219	164473	Derrick No. 5	Great Lakes Dredge	Dredge	329		Jul-11
Built by the American Shipbuilding Company
900	none	No. 2		Scow			1911	no trace
901	none	No. 3		Scow			1911	no trace
none	212345	E. N. Smith	American Ship Building	Tug	20	49	Jul-14	Later AmerShip
none	212746	H. G. Smith	American Ship Building	Tug	20	49	Nov-14
902	AT 19	Huron/Allegheny	US Navy	Tug	750d	156	May-18	Scrapped 1947
903	AT 20	Comanche/Sagamore	US Navy	Tug	750d	156	Jun-18	Sold 1948 as John E McAllister, scrapped 1953
904	216669	Lake Bledsoe	US Shipping Board	Cargo Ship	2,316	251	Jul-18	Scrapped 1926
905	216903	Lake Delancey	US Shipping Board	Cargo Ship	2,316	251	Sep-18	Scrapped 1927
906	217057	Lake Galera	US Shipping Board	Cargo Ship	2,316	251	Oct-18	Later Dora Weems 1925, Dora 1928, Sniaffiocco 1937, Sereno 1940, bombed and lost at Tobruk 1940
907	217139	Lake Otsquago	US Shipping Board	Cargo Ship	2,337	251	Nov-18	Scrapped 1926.
908	217309	Lake Cathcoon	US Shipping Board	Cargo Ship	2,319	251	Dec-18	Scrapped 1926
909	217857	Lake Fugard	US Shipping Board	Cargo Ship	2,607	251	Jun-19	Scrapped 1927
910	217856	Lake Furley	US Shipping Board	Cargo Ship	2,607	251	Jun-19	Scrapped 1926.
911	218472	Lake Furlough	US Shipping Board	Cargo Ship	2,607	251	Jul-19	Scrapped 1926.
912	218954	Lake Fernando	US Shipping Board	Cargo Ship	2,594	251	Sep-19	Later Munami 1926, Lisieux 1940, foundered 1940.
913	219186	Lake Ferrona	US Shipping Board	Cargo Ship	2,598	251	Oct-19	Completed at AmShip Cleveland, later Turkmen 1930, scrapped 1960
914	219213	Lake Fessenden	US Shipping Board	Cargo Ship	2,599	251	Nov-19	Completed at AmShip Cleveland, later Cumberland 1925, Western Head 1939, torpedoed and lost 1942
none	221267	Service	American Ship Building	Workboat	190		May-21
none	227455	Sid Jr.	American Ship Building	Workboat	12	38	Apr-28
915	173884	Junior	Great Lakes Dredge	Dredge	434	110	1937	Sold to British owners 1959
916	244419	DPC 93	Defense Plant Corp.	Tug	146	81	Oct-43	Sold 1946 as Kevin Moran, Mutela 1947, NLD 1953
917	244420	DPC 94	Defense Plant Corp.	Tug	146	81	Oct-43	To WSA as WSA 15, to USN as YT-478, YTM 478 1944, back to WSA 1946 as WSA 15
918	244421	DPC 95	Defense Plant Corp.	Tug	146	81	Oct-43	To USA as ST-764, sold 1946 in Greece, Grangetown 1950, Polaris 1970, in Croatia 1992
919	244422	DPC 96	Defense Plant Corp.	Tug	146	81	Oct-43	To USA as ST-765, sold 1946 as Hippone, in Algeria 1964
920	244515	DPC 97	Defense Plant Corp.	Tug	146	81	Nov-43	To USA as ST-766, sold 1946 as Rekin, NLD 1966
921	244517	DPC 98	Defense Plant Corp.	Tug	146	81	Nov-43	Sold 1946 as Ferry Point, Captain RK 1950, Dianne M. 1988, NLD 1989
922	244518	DPC 99	Defense Plant Corp.	Tug	146	81	Nov-43	To USA as ST-767, sold 1945 as Cornhill, Hannah Spearing 1980, burned off Fleetwood and scrapped 1996
923	244518	DPC 100	Defense Plant Corp.	Tug	146	81	Nov-43	To USA as ST-768, sold 1948 as Kronos, Whitburn 1964, Abou Shanab 1978, scrapped 2005
none	258807	American	American Ship Building	Tug	29	47	Oct-49
924	268858	Service II	American Ship Building	Workboat	149	87	Dec-54
925	Federal	Grasse River	St. Lawrence Seaway	Gatelifter	754		1958

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