FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 4, 2005
CANAL CORPORATION JOINS STATE, FEDERAL AND LOCAL PARTNERS
IN WELCOMING THE 'DAY PECKINPAUGH' TO CAPITAL REGION
‘Last of its Kind’ Vessel to Begin New Journey as Floating Museum and
Historical Exhibit
Carmella R. Mantello, Director of the New York State Canal Corporation today joined representatives of the New York State Museum, the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission, the Canal Society of New York, and State, local and community officials at a welcoming reception for the historic motorship, Day Peckinpaugh, as it concludes its three-week journey along the New York State Canal System from Lockport to Waterford.
To celebrate the arrival of the storied vessel in Waterford, officials poured water from Lake Erie into the Hudson River, commemorating the 180th anniversary of DeWitt Clinton’s original “wedding of the waters” at New York Harbor on November 4, 1825. The act symbolized the new interconnectivity represented by the completion of the waterway. Today’s event also featured music by the Waterford/Halfmoon High School jazz band and a presentation of a certificate officially naming the Day Peckinpaugh to the New York State Register of Historic Places. A national designation is pending.
Canal Corporation Director Carmella R. Mantello said, “We are happy to be able to partner with the New York State Museum, the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the Canal Society, and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission on this important project and to welcome the historic Day Peckingpaugh to its temporary home. This storied vessel represents a proud legacy and a significant period in the history of the Canal System. By working together with our canal partners and preserving the rich maritime heritage of New York, we will help bring the compelling story of New York’s canals to life for millions of New Yorkers and visitors from around the globe.”
New York State Museum Director Clifford A. Siegfried said, “The Erie Canal helped make New York the Empire State. The Day Peckinpaugh is an important artifact of Erie Canal history and it’s a privilege to include it in the collections of the Museum. We are committed and determined to help make it available for future generations of New Yorkers.”
Siegfried continued, “The rescue of the Day Peckinpaugh was possible only through the collaboration of state and federal agencies, private not-for-profits and private donors. I want to thank all of the individuals and organizations involved in this historic undertaking. This is a wonderful example of a public-private partnership working to preserve our history.”
Canal Society of New York State President Thomas X. Grasso said, “The Day Peckinpaugh is the single-most significant artifact remaining from the storied Barge Canal era. It was the first motorship of its kind to ply these waters and, as is only fitting, it is now the last. I commend all of our partners in this endeavor for their efforts to preserve and pass on to the next generation, this important part of our nation’s maritime history.”
Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission Chairman Eric Mower said, “Only weeks before the Day Peckinpaugh was scheduled to be scrapped and become a ghost ship, she’s been saved to now have a whole new life as a floating exhibit and important witness to much of the Erie Canal’s dramatic history.”
State Historic Preservation Officer and State Parks Commissioner Bernadette Castro said, “The plans for restoration of the historic and recently State Registered canal motorship Day Peckinpaugh is a testament to the Governor’s longstanding support of maritime preservation. The shared vision of restoring the ship into a museum gallery that will navigate the state’s historic waterways serves as a unique vehicle for telling the story of the impact of New York’s canals and waterways as a catalyst for growth across the entire nation.”
Waterford Mayor J. Bert Mahoney said, “Waterford is extremely proud of our long and continuing heritage as a canal and river port. Mayor Tucker’s presence here today symbolizes how the Canal connected this great state, and the Peckinpaugh’s long-anticipated arrival demonstrates how that connectivity is still relevant in the 21st century.”
Waterford Town Supervisor John Lawler said, “The Day Peckinpaugh represents an incredible piece of our history which was nearly lost to the scrap heap. I commend the State Museum, the Canal Corporation, the Canal Society, and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor – as well as the other various agencies and individuals involved – for partnering to protect and preserve this storied vessel.”
Lockport Mayor Michael W. Tucker said, “The City of Lockport is proud to have hosted this venerable ship and assisted in bringing it back to life and to the people of New York. The Erie Canal helped connect our cities and made us the great Empire State we are today. We look forward to the Day Peckingpaugh visiting Lockport in the future as a museum and floating classroom to teach our children and the world about the history and significance of our shared Canal.”
Governor George Pataki announced earlier this summer that the State Museum had acquired the historic vessel, with assistance from the Canal Corporation, the Canal Society of New York and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission, with plans to transform it into a floating museum and historic exhibit. The Day Peckinpaugh was captained by Canal Corporation staff and guided by Canal Corporation tugboats from Lockport, Niagara County to its temporary home at Peebles Island State Park, near historic Matton Shipyard, in Waterford, where it is scheduled to undergo extensive restoration work.
Built in 1921 at McDougall-Duluth Shipyard in Duluth, MN for service on the Barge Canal and Great Lakes, the Day Peckinpaugh is the last surviving vessel of her kind. At 259 feet long and 38 feet wide, this historic craft was the first vessel ever designed specifically for the dimensions of the Barge Canal and is one of the largest vessels remaining that worked on the waterway.
Built for Interwaterways Lines Inc. of New York City, the Day Peckinpaugh was originally launched as the ILI 101, and later christened the Richard J. Barnes. The Barnes served her country with distinction during WWII, carrying coal along the east coast in the service of the U.S. Merchant Marine.
In 1958, and after some extensive modifications, Erie Sand and Gravel Company purchased the vessel and bestowed on her the now famous moniker Day Peckinpaugh. Her namesake was a well-known freight forwarder in the Great Lakes region, and brother of one-time New York Yankees interim manager Roger Peckinpaugh the youngest manager/player in the history of major league baseball.
In 1961, she was converted again to haul cement from Oswego to Rome, which she did without fail until her retirement in 1994. The Day Peckinpaugh is the most storied and longest serving of all the motorships which saw Canal service. While nearly one hundred of these vessels plied the waters of the Canal during its commercial heyday, only the Day Peckinpaugh remains.
While in Waterford, the Day Peckinpaugh will receive extensive work in the coming years to transform the massive cargo hold of the ship into exhibit and classroom space, and serve as a floating center for education and historic preservation. The State Museum will work closely with public and private partners, including the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission, to educate the public about the history and significance of the Canal System and this famous vessel on a national level.
-30-