FRYING PAN SHOALS LIGHTSHIP NO. 115 (lightship)
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Why it's listed
Frying Pan Shoals Lightship No. 115 is a riveted-steel lightship, 133.3 feet long, built in 1929-1930 in Charleston, South Carolina, and now moored at Pier 63 on the Hudson River in New York City. She was stationed about 18 miles off North Carolina at Frying Pan Shoals, marking a hazard near the approach to the Cape Fear River, and served there until 1965, apart from wartime duty as an examination ship from 1942 to 1945. A permanent tower then replaced her, and she was decommissioned in 1967. She belongs to a class of lightships that were the first built for the U.S. Lighthouse Service with diesel-electric power and all-steel construction, and she was the first of that class commissioned on the East Coast. The wheelhouse, master's cabin, radio room, bell, forward mast and anchor windlass survive. Few lightships remain afloat, and this one preserves much of her 1930 fabric and appearance.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the ship is a largely intact, representative example of the lightships built for the U.S. Lighthouse Service between 1927 and 1938. These were the first designed with diesel-electric power plants. No. 115 was one of the first of her class and the first commissioned on the East Coast. She keeps much of her 1930 material and appearance.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 98001615, listed January 28, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Pier 63 North River, New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | January 28, 1999 |
| Reference number | 98001615 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1929-1930 |
| Architect / builder | Charleston Dry Dock and Machine Co., Charleston, SC |
| Architectural style | OTHER: lightship |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Maritime History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Open to the public as a museum ship while undergoing restoration; propulsion and electrical generation now come from non-historic diesel engines. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.74998, -74.00978 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 98001615.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q588285
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.