W. P. Snyder Jr. (towboat) facts for kids
W. P. Snyder Jr. at permanent mooring in Marietta, Ohio
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| History | |
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 United States |
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| Name |
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| Owner |
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| Builder | Rees & Sons Company |
| Launched | 1918 |
| Status | Museum ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Length | 175 ft (53 m) (LOA) |
| Beam |
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| Depth | 5.2 ft (1.6 m) |
| Installed power | 2 × Tandem compound steam engines 750 hp (560 kW) |
| Propulsion | Sternwheel |
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W. P. Snyder Jr. (steamboat)
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 Location in Ohio
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| Location | On Muskingum River at Sacra Via, Marietta, Ohio |
| Built | 1918 |
| Architect | Rees, James & Sons |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000522 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | 10 November 1970 |
| Designated NHL | 29 June 1989 |
The W. P. Snyder Jr. is a special historic towboat. It is also known by other names like W. H. Clingerman or J. L. Perry. This amazing boat is docked on the Muskingum River in Marietta, Ohio. You can find it right next to the Ohio River Museum.
This towboat is a National Historic Landmark. This means it is a very important part of American history. It is the only steam-powered sternwheel towboat left on our nation's rivers. It is still in one piece and works!
Contents
Discovering the W. P. Snyder Jr.
The W. P. Snyder Jr. is a unique boat. It moves using a large paddlewheel at its back. This wheel is powered by a steam engine. The boat was built in 1918 by Rees & Sons Company. They were located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
A Boat with Many Names
When it was first built, the boat was called W. H. Clingerman. This was in 1918. It belonged to the Carnegie Steel Company. In 1938, its name changed to J. L. Perry. Then, in 1945, it was briefly called A-1. Later that same year, it was sold to Crucible Steel Company. They renamed it W. P. Snyder Jr. in September 1945.
Working on the Rivers
The W. P. Snyder Jr. was like its sister boat, the W. H. Colvin Jr.. Its main job was to pull barges full of coal. It worked on the Monongahela River. The boat stopped working on September 23, 1953. It was then stored in Crucible, Pennsylvania.
Becoming a Museum Ship
In the summer of 1955, the boat found a new home. It was given to the Ohio Historical Society. They wanted to show it at the Ohio River Museum in Marietta, Ohio. The W. P. Snyder Jr. was the last steamboat to pass through Lock 1 on the Muskingum River. This lock was later removed. The boat arrived in Marietta on September 16, 1955. Captain Fred Way Jr. was its master on that special trip.
Strong Steel Hull Design
This boat was one of the first towboats made with a steel hull. Older boats had wooden hulls. Builders were not sure if steel hulls needed extra support. So, they added strong anti-hogging struts and cables. These were usually only needed on wooden boats.
Visiting the Historic Towboat
Today, the W. P. Snyder Jr. is a Museum ship. It is permanently docked on the Muskingum River. You can find it in Marietta, Ohio, right at the Ohio River Museum. When you visit the museum, you can take a guided tour of the W. P. Snyder Jr.. It is a great way to see what life was like on these old riverboats.
Saving the W. P. Snyder Jr.
In 2009, there was a worry that the W. P. Snyder Jr. might sink. It needed important repairs. So, on November 21, 2009, the boat was towed from Marietta. It went to South Point, Ohio, to get its hull replaced. After the repairs, the W. P. Snyder Jr. started its journey home. It left on September 15, 2010. It arrived back in Marietta on September 17, 2010. This ensured the historic boat would be safe for many more years.
