Great Lakes Vessel List Database

The Great Lakes Vessel List Database has been under development for the past two years. It was started with grants from the Great Lakes Shipwreck Research Foundation, which underwrote the transcription of the Board of Lake Underwriters Vessel Registers for 1860 & 1863. David Swayze contributed his transcription of the 1861 BLU Register and the 1864 BLU Register is under development. Several other early vessel lists where added as well.

The following list includes all transcribed documents that have been added to the Great Lakes Vessel List Database to date:

1818 List of Vessels on the Great Lakes (Travels Through the Western Country)
1831 List of Vessels of Vessels on Lake Erie (Cleveland Weekly Herald)
1836 List of Vessels Belonging to the District of Detroit (Detroit City Directory)
1837 List of Vessels Enrolled at Great Lakes Customs Houses (Buffalo Commercial Advertiser)
1838 Port of Chicago Vessel Traffic List (Fred Neuschel - from original)
1849 List of Vessels Enrolled at Great Lakes Custom Houses (Buffalo City Directory)
1854 List of Vessels Enrolled at Great Lakes Custom Houses (Buffalo Express)
1854 List of British Shipping on the Lakes (Insurance Register)
1856 List of Canadian Vessels (Toronto Globe)
1857 List of Canadian Vessels (Toronto Globe)
1860 Board of Lake Underwriters Annual Register
1861 Board of Lake Underwriters Annual Register
1862 Canadian Vessels in Coastal Trade on L. Huron (Canadian Marine & Fisheries)
1863 Board of Lake Underwriters Annual Register

Other Lists to be added:

1816 - List of Vessels enrolled at Buffalo & Detroit 1816 - 1839 (Michigan Pioneer & Hist. Coll.) [transcribed]
1847 - List of all Enrolled US Vessels (Buffalo Commercial Advertiser) [not yet assigned]
1848 - List of all Enrolled US Vessels (Buffalo City Directory) [not yet assigned]
1858 - Port of Chicago Vessel Traffic List (Kimberly Monk - under transcription)
1864 - Board of Lake Underwriters Annual Register (Brendon Baillod - under transcription)
1866 - Board of Lake Underwriters Canadian Vessel Register [not yet assigned]
1866 - Board of Lake Underwriters Annual Vessel Register [not yet assigned]
1868 - Board of Lake Underwriters Temporary Vessel Register [not yet assigned]