Day Peckinpaugh

The Day Peckinpaugh is a motor ship built in 1921 and designed specifically for service on New York State's canal and river transport system. The vessel features substantial dimensions and robust construction suited to the demands of moving heavy cargo through narrow waterways.

The ship was built in 1921 at a Minnesota shipyard and became the first vessel specifically designed for New York State's new Barge Canal system. During World War II, it served in the US Merchant Marine and survived an encounter with a German submarine.

The vessel carried cargo that fed regional industries and connected communities across the state through water transport. Its work linked factories, farms, and markets that depended on reliable shipping.

The ship is part of the New York State Museum collection and is viewable at Peebles Island at the Matton Shipyard. The location provides access to see the restored vessel alongside other historic watercraft and industrial heritage structures.

The vessel was repurposed during wartime to haul coal along the east coast, an assignment that tested the reliability of its 1921 design. Its survival of a submarine attack speaks to the durability built into its frame by its original builders.