Dump Barge

SHIP INFORMATION
Ship Name: Dump Barge 
Also Known As: Unknown, Informally known as Dump Barge 
Type of Ship: Dump Barge 
Ship Size: Approximately 137 long x 28 wide 
   
Ship Owner:  
Gross Tonnage:  
Net Tonnage:  
Typical Cargo:  
   
Year Built:  
WRECK SITE INFORMATION
Official Wreck Number:  
Wreck Location:  
Type of Ship at Loss: Dump Barge 
Cargo on Ship at Loss: Bricks and stone 
Captain of Ship at Loss:  
   
The "Dump Barge" lies on a NE-SW line; the bow is not discernible from the stern.  The cargo seems to be a mix of firebricks/masonry as well as stone.  This shipwreck occurred tucked up near the corner created by the entrance to the Cuyahoga River and the East Breakwall (This shipwreck is outside the breakwall).  The structure is wooden with eight regularly spaced holds that contain the cargo.  Along the sides of the vessel are blocks and pipe, relating to the function of the barge.  The northeast end of the shipwreck is missing the exterior bulkhead.  There are multiple bricks around the site.  Several that have been identified have company names on them: Savage (believed to be Mount Savage from Maryland), Whitacre-Greer (from Ohio), Green (Possibly AP Green from Missouri).  Mount Savage began manufacturing fire bricks in 1841.  Whitacre-Greer began as a company in 1916 and Green began in 1915.  The "Whitacre-Greer" brick gives us the terminus post quem for the shipwreck, the earliest it could have sank is 1916.  Research is still ongoing by the National Museum of the Great Lakes and the Maritime Archaeological Survey Team to possibly identify what happened to this barge. 
STORY OF THE LOSS

Because of its location, it has been hypothesized that perhaps this barge was involved in the creation or maintenance of the breakwalls protecting Cleveland’s harbor. 

INTERESTING FACTS

Information is incomplete at the time of posting. CLUE, along with the National Museum of the Great Lakes will provide more information as it becomes available through future exploration. 

CITED SOURCES

Sowden, C. Archeological Director, National Museum of the Great Lakes. Personal Conversation on 5-17-19.

VanZandt, D. Dump Barge (2011). Cleveland Underwater Explorers, Inc. Available at: http://clueshipwrecks.org/dump_barge_sw.htm 

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This web site was prepared by the Ohio Sea Grant College Program using Federal funds under award NA16NOS4190094 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Office of Coastal Management. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, or the Office of Coastal Management.