MV Mary Murray

The MV Mary Murray was a 277-foot (84 m) long Staten Island Ferry vessel launched in 1937. She was decommissioned in 1975, and sold at auction with her new owner intending to turn it into a restaurant or museum. She sat tied up at a creek on the Raritan River within view of the New Jersey Turnpike until she was dismantled for scrap in 2008–2012.

"Mary Murray" redirects here. For Ireland's Mary Murray-Burke, see Crystal Swing.

History

The Mary Murray was named for the American Revolutionary War figure Mary Lindley Murray. The vessel was built and launched from the United Dry Docks on Staten Island in 1937 during a grand ceremony with Mayor Fiorello La Guardia and 500 other spectators in attendance. The 277-foot-long (84 m) ship, part of the Miss New York ferryboat class, cost $912,000 to build.[1]

The Mary Murray was retired in 1974 and sold at auction.[2] From 1982 through the mid-2000s,[3] she sat as a floating wreck on the Raritan River within view of the New Jersey Turnpike.[4] Her owner was George Searle, a former merchant mariner, who had intentions of turning it into a restaurant or museum. Shortly after purchasing the Mary Murray, Searle had the vessel towed to a spot near his marina on the south side of the Raritan River. The state sued Searle in 1981 because the boat was docked in the middle of the river. In 1982 he moved the vessel to his property on the side of the river, tying her to the bank partially up "No-Name Creak", where she stayed until she was dismantled. The location contained other vessels and barges purchased by Searle including a ship purported to be owned by a former Shah of Iran.[4]

Dismantling

In March 2008 it was announced that the ferry would be dismantled and used for scrap metal.[5] Aerial images show the ferry's superstructure half removed by October 2008, dismantled all the way down to the hull in by 2010, and ferry as well as all the other barge and boat hulls totally gone by 2012.

Notes
  1. "NEW CITY FERRYBOAT GOES DOWN THE WAYS; The Mary Murray Is Second of Three Streamlined Craft--Mayor Attends Ceremony". The New York Times. 1937-06-04. Retrieved 2017-09-29.
  2. United Press International (July 22, 1976). "Farewell Mary Murray—she was "good girl"". Tonawanda News. North Tonawanda, New York. p. 10. Retrieved September 19, 2017 – via Fultonhistory.com.
  3. "Ferryboat Mary Murray to leave its riverside home". Staten Island Advance. 2008-03-20. Retrieved 2017-09-29.
  4. From Ferrying Thousands Daily to Rusting Away by the Turnpike, The New York Times, March 11, 2007
  5. Yates, Maura (March 20, 2009). "Owner of beached Staten Island ferryboat Mary Murray dies". Staten Island Advance. Retrieved February 13, 2010.

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