CHANCELLOR (tugboat)
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Why it's listed
Chancellor is a 76.7-foot welded steel tugboat built in 1938 by Ira S. Bushey & Sons of Brooklyn and now afloat on the Oswego River at Fulton, New York. Her low pilothouse and short funnels suit the height limits of the New York State Barge Canal. She was one of 15 canal tugs Bushey built between 1935 and 1938, and she keeps her original 525-horsepower, five-cylinder Fairbanks Morse diesel engine, propeller, compressor, generator and galley fittings. Over the years she carried petroleum products, molasses and caustic soda, hauled fuel during World War II, and later moved jet fuel to Plattsburgh under the name James J. Kehoe. Her pilothouse was modified in 1963 so it could be raised for better visibility. The nomination values her as an intact example of the 1930s change from riveted to welded hulls and from steam to diesel power. Still working on the canal, she lets observers see early diesel tug technology in operation. Most of her sister tugs have been lost or heavily altered.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the tug is a highly intact, representative example of the steel diesel canal tugboats built for the New York State Barge Canal in the late 1930s. She shows the shift from riveted to welded hulls and from steam to diesel power. Her original 1937 Fairbanks Morse diesel engine and auxiliary equipment are described as rare and unusually complete, and she is believed to be the only tug of her class still afloat with an original power plant.
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 00000050, listed February 18, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Oswego R., Fulton |
|---|---|
| County | Oswego County |
| Listed | February 18, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000050 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1938 |
| Architect / builder | Ira S. Bushey & Sons, Brooklyn, New York |
| Architectural style | OTHER: canal tugboat |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Maritime History, Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Maintained in operating condition and remains in commercial service on the Barge Canal system. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | New York State Barge Canal |
| Coordinates | 43.31988, -76.41702 (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 00000050.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5070768
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.