The Buckeye Lake Historical Society and Museum, Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Lawhon & Associates will hold an open House to reveal the model of the Black Diamond Canal Boat.  The event will be held at the Buckeye Lake Museum on Saturday September 29 begins at 10:00 am. 

The remnants of the 1850 canal boat that sunk on the shores of Buckeye Lake was discovered on February 20, 2016 during the reconstruction of the 4.1-mile earthen dam.  The Black Diamond was hauling a load of coal on its last voyage reported as a 60-ton haul.  The boat had a “bow and aft cabin and midship making it a three-cabin freighter design.  It was heading from the Minthorn Lock to Thornport delivering it’s coal a grist mill.

The legend of the Black Diamond is well known to natives of Buckeye Lake.  Museum Director, J-me Braig worked with the construction crews as they neared the historic site.  “We knew it was there, because in 1960 two divers brought up some pieces that we have at the Museum” Braig stated. “It was a thrill to be there and participate in the most historic find at Buckeye Lake ever.  The complete history of the sinking of the Black Diamond is documented in a 1912 book by Joseph Simpson, whose father owned
the boat.

The model was designed and built by Michael Wall of American Marine Model Gallery.  He will present the model and details on its structure.  Lawhon Associates, Inc will also present the findings of their studies. Over 400 pieces of the boat were recovered. There are plans for large timbers that have been recovered to be on permenant display at the Museum along with the model of the canal boat.

          For more information contact the Buckeye Lake Museum at 740-929-1998.                                                                       

 Reveal of the model of the Black Diamond Canal Boat.  

Buckeye Lake Canal Era Coal Barge Model to be Revealed
Handmade model represents a three-dimensional replica of the barge that sank in 1850

BUCKEYE LAKE, OH – The Buckeye Lake Historical Society and Museum will host an open house to reveal a unique replica of the Black Diamond, a canal-era coal barge that sank in the lake in 1850 and was uncovered during the Buckeye Lake Dam rehabilitation project. The handmade model represents a three-dimensional replica of what the coal barge would have looked like prior to sinking.

The model is 26 inches long, 6 inches wide and 5 inches tall. It is complete with working hatches, ropes, cabin furniture, a hand-carved boat captain with mare and a cargo load of coal. The coal used in the model came from the pieces of the actual shipment the barge was hauling on the fateful day of its demise, which were recovered by Lawhon & Associates during archaeological salvage efforts.

WHAT:  Black Diamond Model and Historical Mitigation at Buckeye Lake

WHO:    J-me Braig, Buckeye Lake Historical Society and Museum

               Justin P. Zink, RPA, Practice Leader, Cultural Resources, Lawhon & Associates Inc.

Andrew R. Sewell, RPA, Senior Historian/Principal Investigator,
Lawhon & Associates   Inc.

WHEN:    Saturday, Sept. 29, at 10 a.m.

WHERE:  Buckeye Lake Museum
                 4729 Walnut Road
                 Buckeye Lake, Ohio 43008                        

The Buckeye Lake Historical Society was founded at Buckeye Lake, Ohio in 1995, and the museum opened in 1998. The museum hosts a huge collection of Buckeye Lake Park memorabilia. The Society covers Perry, Licking and Fairfield counties, including the communities of Hebron, Millersport and Thornville, along with Buckeye Lake. Visit buckeyelakehistory.org for more information.

For more information, contact:
J-me Braig,
Buckeye Lake Historical Society and Museum
740-405-1568 

Buckeye Lake 1850 Canal Boat Model Revealed

The model of the Black Diamond Canal Boat.

The Canal Society of Ohio Inc.

Wreck of the Black Diamond A.D. 1850  Click Here