Fredericktown, PA riverboat J. L PERRY or W. P. SNYDER JR Circa 1948

     Today, I scanned a bunch of old pictures for an upcoming blog.  I'm still waiting for some more before I can do a proper post, but I found this one in the mix and thought it would fit in with the winter season and my recent winter rails to trails walk blog.

      The date on the back read 1948.  The picture was taken from the Fayette County side of the Monongahela river opposite Fredericktown, PA. Note the ice covering the river.  The waste piles of the Clyde mine can be seen in the background.
More coming soon, we promise.

Click here  or on  this other interesting one to see two brief histories of the steam boat above.

Chip just posted some more riverboat pictures here!

These two informative E mails came to me today about the boats history.

Evan,

   The W.H. Clingerman (launched under that name on February 21, 1918) was renamed the J.L. Perry in May, 1938.  In the spring of 1945 she was renamed the A-1.  That fall the Crucible Steel Company of America bought her and renamed her W.P. Snyder, Jr. after the president and CEO of the company.  She towed her coal barges to Crucible’s plant at Midland, PA and in 1954 she was laid up. (Due to competition from diesel tows, she saw less and less work.)

  She arrived in Marietta under her own steam on September 16, 1955, was shut down for the last time, and has been in permanent residence here at the Ohio River Museum, leaving occasionally for repairs.

  I hope this helps.  Thank you for your interest.  We are very proud to have the W.P. Snyder, Jr. in residence here.  She is now on the National Registry of Historic Places.  If you ever have the opportunity, please visit the Ohio River Museum.

  Thank you, Glenna

Glenna Hoff, Educator

Campus Martius/Ohio River Museum

...and...

Evan,

  There were actually 2 boats named the J.L. Perry.  The picture of the J.L Perry that you have, with the 1948 date on the back means that this boat probably was the Allegheny originally.  It was built at Ambridge,PA in 1927.  The Carnegie-Illinois Steel Co. people renamed her in June, 1945 and called her J.L. Perry.  She was dismantled in 1957.

   I am sorry for the confusion. 

        Thanks,   Glenna

Glenna Hoff, Educator

Campus Martius/Ohio River Museum

As always, click on the picture to enlarge.