LITTLE JENNIE (Chesapeake Bay bugeye)
Why it's listed
Little Jennie is an 86-foot Chesapeake Bay bugeye, a two-masted oyster-dredging sailboat built in 1884 by James T. Marsh at Solomons Island, Maryland. She has a shallow, double-ended hull of white oak frames with yellow pine planking, a raking rig, and the duckbill stern platform Marsh introduced in 1880. She dredged oysters and carried wheat and watermelons to and from Baltimore for about thirty years, then was converted to a motorized sailing yacht after 1930. Bugeyes were built by the hundreds, yet fewer than eight are believed to remain afloat, and she is the only known survivor of the twenty Marsh built. Her later life as a yacht, though it brought alterations, helped preserve her lines and rig while most contemporaries became buyboats or were abandoned. Abandoned in Huntington after a failed 1975 rehabilitation, she was acquired in 1984 and is being restored at Centerport, where her hull has been strengthened and her rig is to be rebuilt.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues she is a rare, largely intact bugeye, one of the oldest known survivors and among the earliest extant plank-on-frame examples. She is also the only known survivor of the twenty bugeyes built by master shipbuilder James T. Marsh. Her working life from 1884 to 1930 reflects the rise and decline of Chesapeake Bay oystering.
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 86001081, listed May 12, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Centerport Harbor, Centerport |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | May 12, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001081 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1884-1930 |
| Architect / builder | James T. Marsh |
| Architectural style | Chesapeake Bay bugeye (historic marine architecture) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Undergoing restoration; hull strengthened 1976-1985, masts and rigging dismantled and expected to be restored in 1986. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.89356, -73.37410 (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 86001081.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6650504
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.