M/V COMMANDER
Also known as: Commander
Why it's listed
Commander is a wooden excursion boat built in 1917 at Morehead City, North Carolina, for the Sheepshead Bay Boatlines of Brooklyn and Rockaway. It carries 275 passengers, measures roughly sixty feet by twenty-five feet, and has a heavy oak frame, pine planking and two canvas-covered decks. Soon after arriving in New York it served the U.S. Navy in the harbor, helping outfit submarine chasers and towing barrage balloons. From 1919 it ferried passengers between Sheepshead Bay and Far Rockaway for sixty-two years, a record believed to be the longest uninterrupted service by an excursion boat. Citizens in Highland Falls bought it in late 1981, restored it, and put it into service on the Hudson River. The boat was listed because it combines older steam-era hull construction with early gasoline and diesel propulsion, and because it appears to be the last of its type still operating. Its diesel engine was replaced with a more powerful one by 1957.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the vessel as a rare, intact, operating example of the small wooden passenger boats once common on eastern inland waterways. It shows the shift from heavy steam-era hull construction to lighter motor-powered craft. It also had a long record of ferry and excursion service, which the form believes may be the longest uninterrupted service by an excursion boat.
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 84002951, listed September 27, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Haverstraw Marina, West Haverstraw |
|---|---|
| County | Rockland County |
| Listed | September 27, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002951 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Beele Wallace Co., Morehead City, N.C. |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored and in operation as an excursion boat on the Hudson River; condition listed as excellent and largely unaltered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.23114, -73.97512 (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 84002951.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6719408
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.