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NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Tommy Trampp

US Brig Niagara (I)

Brigantine:

Built at Presque Isle (Erie), PA., by Adam and Noah Brown

Launched in the summer of 1813

Commissioned US Brig Niagara in August 1813, CAPT. Jesse D. Elliott in command

Niagara served as Captain Oliver H. Perry's relief flagship after US Brig Lawrence became an unmanageable wreck during the Battle of Lake Erie, 10 September 1813

From 1814 to 1820 Niagara served as a receiving ship at Erie until sunk in Misery Bay for preservation in 1820

Raised, 6 March 1913, and restored by the Perry Centennial Commission

Displayed along Lakes Huron and Michigan during the commemoration of the Battle of Lake Erie in 1913

Return to Erie, 21 September 1913, to be cribbed up just out of the water, deteriorating until 1929

The second restoration started in but was halted for lack of funds in 1934, finally completed in 1963 for the sesquicentennial of her great victories

The third restoration began to take shape in 1981 when the Flagship Niagara League was formed with intent of reconstructing Niagara so that it would be a working ship, instead of an "outdoor museum piece". The League was eventually incorporated as a non-profit organization associated with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Melbourne Smith, builder of the schooner Pride of Baltimore, was hired in 1986 by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission to head the reconstruction. The decay of Niagara was so bad that it was dismantled and ultimately destroyed, with various timbers salvaged and used in non-structural areas of the ship. The destruction of the old ship and use of new wood often leads Niagara to be considered a replica. While the first Niagara was built hurriedly, the new Niagara was built out of properly seasoned and preserved yellow pine and Douglas fir. The new Niagara was launched on 10 September 1988, but was not completed until 18 July 1990 when its sea trials were held. The Pennsylvania General Assembly designated Niagara as the official flagship of Pennsylvania on 29 April 1988 and described its purpose as being a "sailing ambassador for Pennsylvania". In March 2008, the yellow pine mainmast was replaced with one of Douglas fir. Courtesy Wikipedia. Submitted by Tommy Trampp

Specifications:
Displacement 493 t.
Length between perpendiculars 110'
Beam 30'
Depth 9'
Draft unknown
Speed unknown
Complement 130
Armament, 20 guns
Propulsion sail

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
	197k	US Brig Niagara sail plan	Tommy Trampp
	160k	One of the more interesting moments during the Battle of Lake Erie was when COMO. Oliver Hazard Perry, who was aboard the heavily damaged US Brig Lawrence decided to transfer his personnel pennant, a blue flag bearing the motto "Don't give up the ship", to another ship the US Brig Niagara. Amidst the chaos of battle Perry and his crew travel half a mile to *Niagara* where he continued to lead the US squadron to victory.	Tommy Trampp
	340k	A colored lithograph/print by Julian O Davidson and Vanderbilt Allen. The lithograph captures COMO. Perry transferring his flag in the middle of the Battle of Lake Erie from US Brig Lawrence to US Brig Niagara.	Tommy Trampp
US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH KN-621	66k	Painting by William H. Powell, depicting Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry transferring his flag from the disabled US Brig Lawrence to the US Brig Niagara, at the height of the action. The original painting is exhibited in the United States Capitol Building, Washington, D.C. US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH KN-621	US Naval History and Heritage Command and Tommy Trampp
	59k		Tommy Trampp
	102k	Print of a framed oil painting by Mort Kunstler known as "Perry boards the Niagara". Shows Commodore Matthew Perry boarding the USS Niagara with his famous "Don't give up the Ship" Flag during the battle of Lake Erie, 10 September 1813. During this battle, 9 vessels of the US Navy defeated and captured 6 vessels of the British Royal Navy ensuring American control of Lake Erie for the rest of the war.	Tommy Trampp
	309k	Centennial post card image, depicting Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry in either the US Brig Niagara or the US Brig Lawrence, at the Battle of Lake Erie.	Tommy Trampp
098606228	160k	USS Niagara. Battle of Lake Erie, 10 September 1813. Mural begun by Charles Robert Patterson and completed in 1959 by Howard B. French. It depicts the U.S. Brig Niagara, flagship of Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry, raking the British warships HMS Queen Charlotte and HMS Detroit (Ex- US Brig Adams), which are afoul of each other after colliding. *Niagara* is flying Perry's "Don't Give Up the Ship" battle flag at her mainmast peak. This mural, presented to the U.S. Naval Academy by Admiral and Mrs. Thomas C. Hart, is on display in the Academy's Memorial Hall. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command: Photo #: NH 43575-KN (color).	Robert Hurst
098606235	95k	Flying the iconic blue "DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP" flag, the brig USS Niagara (center right) fires on HMS Detroit during Oliver Hazard Perry's great victory at the Battle of Lake Erie. Perry's famed flagship had been built-along with another 20 gun-brigs, a schooner, four gunboats, and 14 small craft-in a whirlwind four month period at a hastily constructed wilderness shipyard overseen by the tireless Noah Brown. ©US Naval Institute Proceedings article by William J. Prom, February 2022,Pages 46 and 47. Painting by Julain o. Davidson, courtesy of Erie Maritime Museum	Robert Hurst
	262k	A double post card image depicting Perry's transfer to the Niagara during the battle where the now famous motto of the US Navy "DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP" originated. and a view of US Brig Niagara underway.	Tommy Trampp
	128k	A post card image of the restored US Brig Niagara, date unknown.	Tommy Trampp
	257k	Post card image of the hulk of the US Brig Niagara after being raised for restoration for the 1913 centennial.	Tommy Trampp
	259k	Stern view of USS Niagara after being raised and beached at "Misery Bay", Erie, PA, 2 April 1913. Naval History & Heritage Command Photo # NH 44810	Mike Green
098606236	33k	Reconstructed brig USS Niagara circa 1923. The original *Niagara* was raised in 1913 and reconstructed for the Perry Victory Centennial. The ship is now preserved ashore in Erie, PA.	Robert Hurst
098606232	290k	View of deck of USS Niagara looking aft, at Erie, PA. in July 1913, as she was about to begin her centennial cruise of the Great Lakes. The three chief petty officers in the foreground were assigned to the Niagara because of their experience in old sailing vessels. They were dubbed the "three pirates" by the editor of the Journal of American History, who was on the cruise as historian. Naval History & Heritage Command Photo # NH 44820	Robert Hurst
098606231	160k	USS Niagara starting her centennial cruise around the Great Lakes, at Erie, PA. in July 1913. USS Essex is in the distance. Naval History & Heritage Command Photo # NH 44815	Robert Hurst
	150k	US Brig Niagara was towed from port to port in 1913 during her tour of Great Lakes cities on the centennial of Perry's victory at the Battle of Erie in 1813	Tommy Trampp
	114k
	161k
	161k
098606237	30k	USS Niagara (1813-1820) replica, under tow by the tug *Buffalo, during the Perry Centennial Naval Parade, 1913. Possibly at Erie, PA. Courtesy of RADM. Dennys W. Knoll, USN (Ret), Erie, PA. A Naval Historical Foundation Publication. Series II Number 24 Spring 1979. Courtesy of DANFS.*	Robert Hurst
	796k	US Brig Niagara, center, and two other ships at anchor in Put-in-Bay, off South Bass island in 1913 for the centennial celebration of the Battle of Lake Erie.	Robert Hurst
	119k	Post card image of US Brig Niagara at anchor, date and location unknown.	Tommy Trampp
	80k	US Brig Niagara, circa 1913, possibility celebrating the 100th year anniversary of Commander Perry's victory on Lake Erie. While credited with being Perry's flagship, the ship was actually a relief flagship in the Battle of Lake Erie. Library of Congress, Photo No. LC-D4-22787.	Mike Green
098606227	105k	US Brig Niagara coming up the Maumee River at Toledo, Ohio in 1913. Ken Levin Toledo Postcard Collection published by the Toledo Blade in a book entitled "You Will Do Better in Toledo: From Frogtown to Glass City", edited by Sandy and John R. Husman. 12 October 1913. contributed to Wikimedia Commons by Toledo-Lucas County Public Library as part of a cooperation project. The donation was facilitated by the Digital Public Library of America, via its partner Ohio Digital Network.	Robert Hurst
	136k	From left to right; celebrating the 100th year anniversary of Commander Perry's victory on Lake Erie. Essex (IX-10), US Brig Niagara and Wolverine (IX-31) moored pierside 1913.	Tommy Trampp
	79k	US Brig Niagara moored pierside, date and location unknown.	Tommy Trampp
098606229	321k	Cannon on the deck of Perry's Flagship USS Niagara, Lake Erie, 31 July 1925. M.O. Hammond fonds, Archives of Ontario, Accession number I0001436.	Robert Hurst
	247k	Post card image of US Brig Niagara (second restoration) on display at Erie, PA.. circa post 1963. She was restored for the second time for the Perry Sesquicentennial.	Tommy Trampp
	104k	Post card images of the restored US Brig Niagara at Erie Pennsylvania.	Tommy Trampp
	179k		Tommy Trampp
	299k	US Brig Niagara (third restoration) moored at her home port the Eire Maritime Museum.	Tommy Trampp
	44k	Pen and ink drawing of US Brig Niagara, 1995, by Kevin Jobczynski.	Tommy Trampp
	113k	US Brig Niagara under full sail on Lake Erie near Erie, PA., 13 July 2008. Photo Courtesy of Dilipkumar.	Tommy Trampp
	1546k	US Brig Niagara under full sail on Lake Erie near Put-in-Bay, off South Bass Island, Ohio, 26 June 2009. Photo by Lance Woodworth.	Robert Hurst and Tommy Trampp
	104k	US Brig Niagara passing the harbor front at Toronto, Ontario, Canada under full sail, 4 July 2010. Photo Courtesy of Steelhead	Tommy Trampp
	108k	Tall Ships Erie in 2013. The vessels are (l to r) US Brig Niagara, PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II, and LYNX. Photo by Tim McLaughlin	Tim McLaughlin
	884k	Bridle rosette possibly featuring the US Brig Niagara	Mitch Ingram
098606230	35k	Pennsylvania Flagship U.S. Brig Niagara Governor's License Plate. Photo by LT. Ramathorn, 23 April 2012.	Robert Hurst
098606233	64k	U.S. Brig Niagara, Erie, Pennsylvania's Flagship, at Great Lakes Shipyard, Erie., PA. for routine drydocking and repairs. The vessel was hauled out using the Marine Travelift; this marks the first time Great Lakes Shipyard has hauled out a tall ship using their Travelift as well as the first time that *Niagara* has been hauled out with a Travelift, 2013. Great Lakes Group "The G"	Tommy Trampp
098606234	39k	U.S. Brig Niagara Erie, Pennsylvania's Flagship, had bow framing replaced at Great Lakes Shipyard. The work on *Niagara* included replacing three frames and took approximately four weeks. In September 2011, *Niagara* spent two weeks in the Shipyard's drydock for surveying, hull cleaning and painting, propeller inspection, and other routine maintenance. The Shipyard previously installed auxiliary engines and has been contracted to conduct *Niagara's NIA routine inspections in compliance with federal, USCG and ABS regulations. circa 2013. Great Lakes Group "The G"*	Tommy Trampp