Financial District in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
W.O. Decker
1930
— South Street Seaport Museum —
The wooden tugboat W.O. Decker was built in Long Island City, Queens in 1930 for the Newtown Creek Towing Company, a firm specializing in berthing ships and barges in the branch of the East River that separates Brooklyn and Queens. Originally called the Russell I for the towing company’s owners, she was renamed W.O. Decker in 1946 after being sold to the Decker family’s Staten Island tugboat firm. One of the last steam-powered tugs built in this harbor, she was later refitted with a diesel engine
From the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 through the late 19th century, New York Harbor was populated by a variety of towing craft. Large sidewheel towboats were used to move rafts of canal boats and other craft, picked up along the Hudson, down to the port where smaller tugs delivered them to their final destinations. Big oceangoing propeller tugs towed strings of coal barges from New Jersey to New England. Major railroads operated large tug fleets to transfer loaded railroad cars by barge to and from freight terminals in New Jersey and Staten Island. Private tug companies specialized in berthing cargo and passenger vessels
Most of this activity died out in the middle decades of this century as trucking replaced rail and water transport; passenger liners gave way to airplanes; and large fleets of cargo ships were replaced by fewer, larger container ships.
In 1986, the W.O. Decker was donated to the museum, where she is used in a variety of ways, from daily waterfront maintenance to private charters.
Extreme length: 52’ – Beam: 15” – Rig: Mast for running lights
Length on deck: 50’ – Construction: White oak – Gross tonnage: 27
Length at waterline: 48’ – Draft: 6’ – Net tonnage: 18
Erected by South Street Seaport Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1930.
Location. 40° 42.331′ N, 74° 0.212′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It is in the Financial District. Marker is at the intersection of South Street and John Street, on the right on South Street. Located at the South Street Seaport Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: South Street Seaport Museum, New York NY 10038, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Ambrose (a few steps from this marker); Capstan (a few steps from this marker); High Water Mark (a few steps from this marker); Wavertree (a few steps from this marker); Forecastle Head (within shouting distance of this marker); Cargo Hatches (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Wavertree (within shouting distance of this marker); Forecastle (Crew's Quarters) (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manhattan.
Also see . . . 1930 Tugboat W.O. Decker. South Street Museum website entry (Submitted on July 3, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 17, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 3, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 115 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on July 3, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.
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