DAY PECKINPAUGH, (canal motorship)
Also known as: Richard J. Barnes; Ili-101
Why it's listed
Launched in 1921 as the ILI-101, this steel motorship was built in Duluth, Minnesota for the Interwaterways Line. It measures 254 feet long and 36 feet wide, with a low, box-like form shaped by canal lock and bridge clearances. Its 1,650-ton capacity let it carry grain and other bulk cargo between the Great Lakes and the Port of New York without transferring loads to smaller boats. It was the first of five identical sister ships and was among the early diesel-powered vessels of its kind. Later named Richard J. Barnes, it served as a collier in World War II and had its cargo hull replaced in 1946 at Todd Shipyard in Brooklyn. Renamed Day Peckinpaugh in 1958, it was converted in 1961 to carry bulk cement, a trade it kept for three decades. It is listed as the only surviving canal motorship of its type, a vessel that shows how commercial shipping on the Barge Canal developed.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the vessel is the sole surviving canal motorship built for the Great Lakes and the New York State Barge Canal. It represents the culmination of commercial canal transportation, which moved from towed barges to independently powered ships. Its hybrid design allowed bulk cargo to travel between the Great Lakes and New York without transferring loads.
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 05001486, listed December 28, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NYS Barge Canal, Lockport |
|---|---|
| County | Niagara County |
| Listed | December 28, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05001486 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1921-1958 |
| Architect / builder | McDougall-Duluth Shipyard, Duluth MN., builder; Todd Shipyard, Brooklyn, NY, 1946 rebuild. |
| Architectural style | OTHER: canal motorship |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The vessel returned to Erie, Pennsylvania after its last canal transit in September 1994 and remained unused for more than a decade. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.16498, -78.70327 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 05001486.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5242863
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.