{"nrhp_refnum":"73001628","name":"U.S.S. NIAGARA","other_names":["Flagship Niagara"],"category":"structure","location":{"address":"State St. at Lake Erie","address_restricted":false,"city":"Erie","county":"Erie County","state":"PA","lat":42.13530541700004,"lon":-80.08949901599993,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1973-04-11","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Military","Maritime History"],"significance_levels":["national"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"The U.S.S. Niagara is a square-rigged brig, a reconstructed flagship, at Erie, Pennsylvania, built in 1813 and restored in 1963 after being raised from Misery Bay in 1913. It was moved from its original site to Erie's bay area as part of the commemoration of the battle of Lake Erie.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the ship is significant as the flagship of Oliver Hazard Perry at the battle of Lake Erie on 10 September 1813, a key engagement in American naval history. Its reconstruction gives visitors a clear picture of one of the important ships in that battle.","narrative":"Built at Erie in the spring and summer of 1813 under difficult conditions, the brig Niagara was one of six ships constructed there to challenge a British naval force on Lake Erie. Erie's isolation required importing craftsmen and materials from Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and other Pennsylvania towns, and the timber was cut and squared by hand. Daniel Dobbins, a Great Lakes shipmaster who was not a shipbuilder, organized the work until experienced designers arrived. The Niagara served as the flagship line-of-battle ship under Commander Oliver Hazard Perry, who transferred to it after his flagship Lawrence was dismasted. Commanded by Jesse D. Elliot, the Niagara brought the fleet into the line and helped secure the American victory on 10 September 1813. The ship sank in Misery Bay after falling into decay, was raised in 1913 for the battle's centennial, and was restored in 1963 with new rigging and reconstructed fittings.","period_of_significance":"1812-1813","architect_builder":"Daniel Dobbins (organized and directed the construction)","architectural_style":null,"criteria":[],"status_note":"Restored in 1963; raised from Misery Bay in 1913; reconstructed and moved from original site","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.1-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 17:11:30.277454-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_PA/73001628.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/73001628/8cb24c6c86-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/73001628/8cb24c6c86-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY 2.0","author":"Lance Woodworth","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brig_Niagara_full_sail.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Lance Woodworth</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY 2.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brig_Niagara_full_sail.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71995547","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Niagara_(1813)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7872265"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/pennsylvania/erie-county/u-s-s-niagara-73001628/"}