The Rebuilt Perry Flagship "Niagara" in Vintage Postcards

The Niagara as depicted in the painting "Battle of Lake Erie" (1959) 
by Charles Robert Patterson and  Howard B. French

Yesterday was the 210th Anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie, the important naval battle of the War of 1812, during which naval commander Oliver Hazard Perry defeated the British and became a national hero. The turning point during the skirmish was Perry's abandoning of the disabled Lawrence and rowing to the Niagara, whose cannons were then used to pummel the damaged British ships and force them to surrender.

"Don't give up the ship" had been the battle cry, emblazoned on the famous flag atop the USS Lawrence that was transferred to the Niagara during the battle.

In a way, Perry's flagship Niagara was 'given up.' After the war, it was used for a while to house new sailor recruits, before being scuttled in 1820. It was bought and raised in the 1830s with the hope of it being used as a merchant vessel. But it was found to be in poor shape and sunk again, in the aptly named Misery Bay.

It was ultimately raised again in time to be restored for the centennial celebration of the Battle of Lake Erie in 1913. The restored Niagara even visited Lorain during July of that year (which I wrote about here.)

But what kind of shape was the Niagara in, when it was raised from Misery Bay in April 1913?

I had always assumed it was a little beat-up, but still recognizable. After all, these days we're used to seeing fantastic underwater photographs and footage of sunken ships that have remained largely intact at the bottom of the sea. But local historian and archivist Dennis Lamont pointed out to me recently in an email that was not the case with the Niagara. 

"Every time I read articles about the Niagara, I wonder how they did the restoration. Was it magic?" he joked.

See for yourself. This photograph circa 1913 shows what the restoration team had to work with.

This vintage postcard shows the same view of the Niagara, as well as the Lawrence.

And this series of postcards show the rebuilt ship. 

Note that in the top postcard, you can see what is likely Lorain's swing bridge. And in the next two postcards, you can see what is almost certainly the Lorain Coast Guard Station.

During the visit of the Niagara to Lorain on July 15, 1913, The Lorain Daily News noted, "In tow of the United States Training Ship Essex, the Perry flagship "Niagara" rode the quiet waters of Lake Erie into the harbor of Lorain shortly after one o'clock. The trip from Fairport to this city was made in good time and with safety.

"Following the "Niagara" and "Essex" at some distance in the rear was the United States Training Ship "Wolverine," which completed the flotilla that makes up the escort of the historic ship on its journey over the waters that it once traversed under its own sail in warfaring times.

"Arriving at this harbor shortly ahead of schedule time the revamped hulk of the ancient battleship of the hero of the battle of Lake Erie found Lorain's reception committee unprepared for the entering of the harbor. Representing the committee Holden Wood went aboard the tug E. M. Pierce and steamed alongside the "Niagara" with the request that she anchor in the outer harbor to await the official entrance to the city."

And here's a postcard from decades later, when the Niagara was once again scheduled to be rebuilt, but this time in a manner more accurate to its period.