W. P. Snyder Jr. (towboat)

W. P. Snyder Jr.

W. P. Snyder Jr. at permanent mooring in Marietta, Ohio
History
United States
Name	W. H. Clingerman (1918–1938) J. L. Perry (1938–1945) A-1 (1945–1945) W. P. Snyder Jr. (1945–)
Owner	Carnegie Steel Company (1918–1945) Crucible Steel Company (1945–1955) Ohio Historical Society (1955–)
Builder	Rees & Sons Company
Launched	1918
Status	Museum ship
General characteristics
Length	175 ft (53 m) (LOA)
Beam	28.4 ft (8.7 m) (original) 32.3 ft (9.8 m) (modified)
Depth	5.2 ft (1.6 m)
Installed power	2 × Tandem compound steam engines 750 hp (560 kW)
Propulsion	Sternwheel
W. P. Snyder Jr. (steamboat)
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Location	Muskingum River docked as part of the Ohio River Museum in Marietta, Ohio
Coordinates	39°25′13″N 81°27′48″W
Built	1918
Architect	Rees, James & Sons
NRHP reference No.	70000522
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	10 November 1970[1]
Designated NHL	29 June 1989[2]

W. P. Snyder Jr., also known as W. H. Clingerman, W. P. Snyder Jr. State Memorial, or J. L. Perry, is a historic towboat moored on the Muskingum River in Marietta, Ohio, at the Ohio River Museum. A National Historic Landmark, she is the only intact, steam-driven sternwheel towboat still on the nation's river system.

Description and history

W. P. Snyder Jr. is a sternwheel, steam driven, towboat that was originally built as the Carnegie Steel Company towboat W. H. Clingerman in 1918 by Rees & Sons Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1938, she was renamed J. L. Perry, and in 1945 A-1. In August 1945, she was sold to Crucible Steel Company of Pittsburgh, and renamed the W. P. Snyder Jr. in September 1945.

She was a sister vessel of W. H. Colvin Jr., and she towed coal on the Monongahela River until being laid up on 23 September 1953, at Crucible, Pennsylvania. In the summer of 1955, the boat was given to the Ohio Historical Society for exhibit at the Ohio River Museum in Marietta, Ohio. W. P. Snyder Jr. was the last steamboat locking through Lock 1, on the Muskingum River, before that lock was removed. She arrived in Marietta, Ohio, with Captain Fred Way Jr. as master on 16 September 1955.

As one of the first steel hull towboats constructed, she was fitted with the prominent anti-hogging struts and cables necessary on wooden hulled stern wheelers. At the time it wasn't known if they would be needed with the steel hull construction.

W. P. Snyder Jr. has been permanently moored on the Muskingum River in Marietta, Ohio, at the Ohio River Museum. Visitors to the museum receive a guided tour of W. P. Snyder Jr..

She is "the only intact, steam-driven sternwheel towboat still on the nation's river system", but was "in danger of sinking" in 2009.[3] On 21 November 2009, W.P. Snyder Jr. was towed from Marietta to South Point, Ohio, to have her hull replaced.[4] W. P. Snyder Jr. made her way home starting 15 September 2010 and arrived back in the Muskingum River at Marietta on 17 September 2010.[5]

Citations

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
2. "W. P. Snyder Jr. (towboat)". National Historic Landmarks Program. National Park Service. Retrieved October 11, 2009.
3. Hannah, James (October 11, 2009). "Rusting relic faces a tight river voyage in Ohio". Yahoo! News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 15, 2009.
4. York, Kate (November 21, 2009). "W.P. Snyder Jr. gets a send-off". Marietta Times. Marietta, Ohio: Ogden Newspapers. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
5. Deck, Jack (2010). "New Life for W. P. Snyder Jr". Retrieved September 24, 2012.

References

• Foster, Kevin J. (February 5, 1989). "National Register of Historic Places registration form / W. P. Snyder Jr. (river towboat)" (pdf). National Park Service. Retrieved September 24, 2012.
  • "Accompanying Photos" (pdf). National Park Service. Retrieved September 24, 2012.

External links

• Photo of W. P. Snyder Jr. at the Ohio River Museum website