Communiqué
Watch Saving the Snyder on YouTube
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ATHENS, OH – WOUB Public Media continues its free YouTube release of locally-produced documentaries this week to provide quality local entertainment people can enjoy at home as Ohioans fight the spread of COVID-19. On Friday, May 22 at 8 p.m., WOUB is releasing Saving the Snyder. The documentaries will remain posted on YouTube for one week after their release.
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Saving the Snyder Friday, May 22 8 p.m. |
“The W.P. Snyder, Jr. is a more than 100-year old steam towboat that sits on the Muskingum River at the Ohio River Museum in Marietta,” said Saving the Snyder Producer and WOUB Community Engagement Manager Cheri Russo. “But more than a decade ago, many weren’t sure if the Snyder, which is the last of the steam-powered, stern wheeled towboats in the United States and a National Historic Landmark, would be around very much longer. The boat was in danger of sinking.”
Released in 2011, Saving the Snyder chronicles a 10-month, $1.4 million renovation of the towboat’s hull and paddle wheel with footage of the 146-mile journey the boat had to take from Marietta to the McGinnis Shipyard in South Point, Ohio for the repair work. The program shows the tedious process of moving the historic vessel, the complications of the restoration and the trip back to Marietta to welcome home celebrations from the community that has adored the W.P. Snyder Jr. for generations.
“The Snyder is part of the landscape in Marietta,” said Russo. “It’s a critical piece of history and many don’t realize the time and effort it takes to preserve something like this so future generations can experience it and learn from it. All the work and planning that went into saving that boat was amazing to see, and I’m glad WOUB could chronicle the event for others to be a part of as well.”