The American Ship Building Company, Buffalo NY

(formerly Union Dry Dock Co. [1882-1898] and Buffalo Dry Dock Co. [1899-1914])

The Buffalo shipyard 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 1872 and bought Bidwell out in 1882, renaming the yard Union Dry Dock Company.  Union sold out to the American Ship Building Company in 1899 and the yard was renamed Buffalo Dry Dock.  See the site from the air on Google here.

Hull # Original Name Type Owner GT DWT Delivery Disposition
  H. J. Jewett     1953   1882  
  Shaughraun     43   1882  
  Fessenden Revenue Cutter U.S. Coast Guard 330   1883  
  Shaughraun     45   1883  
  Commodore Perry Revenue Cutter U.S. Coast Guard 282   1884 Sunk 1910
  Tioga     2085   1885  
  Susquehanna     2500   1886  
  Chenning     2615   1888  
  Owego     2611   1888  
  America     2171   1889  
  Viking     1117   1889  
  Brazil     2186   1890  
  S. C. Reynolds     1895   1890  
  S. C. Schenck     126   1890  
  Frank W     93   1891  
  Pier     99   1891  
  Codorus     2165   1892  
  George J. Gould     2237   1893  
  Enquirer Yacht   140   1896  
  Ramapo     3045   1896  
  America     123   1897  
  Monroe Doctrine     446   1897  
  Reciprocity     446   1897  
  S.O. Company No. 81 Tank Barge Standard Oil 1774   1897  
  Starrucca     3114   1897  
  Charles F. Dunbar     136   1898  
  Marion     63   1898  
  Buffalo     3,951   1899  
  C. Persons Sons     49   1899  
  Cyclone     79   1900  
  Georgetown     1,358   1900  
  Tornado     79   1900  
  Chicago     3,195   1901  
  Mauch Chunk     4,499   1901  
  Ossian Bedell