Great Lake Ship, 'N.W. Gokey', Diesel Tanker, 1947 Photo Album -

Both covers of this professionally-published photo-album list the same data:

Designed & Built by Ira S. Bushey & Sons, Inc.
Brooklyn 31, New York

Length: 250 feet
Breadth: 40 feet
Depth: 18 feet

1947

Landscape orientation, 11 11/16" x 9 3/8", 20 leaves/40 pages, glossy card stock, one photo per page (9 7/16" x 7 9/16"). Black plastic spiral binding. This publication was constructed for durability: in addition to the thick covers (with photos on both sides), and the possibly waterproof pages, each cover comes with a thick transparent-vinyl protective sheet, spiral-bound to the rest of the album. Unfortunately, the front vinyl sheet is barely attached, and yellowed with age, and is smaller than the front cover at each dimension (being 8 5/8" x 10 1/8"). The rear vinyl is the same size as the rear cover, and is only detached at the very bottom of the binding, where there is also a jagged 1 1/2" tear in the vinyl.

Including the inner cover photos, the album's contents are as follows:

-Six photos of the entire tanker at sea
-One photo of the Gyro room
-Two photos of the Radio room
-Two photos of the Captain's room
-One photo of the Chief Mate's room
-One photo of the Chief Engineer's room
-One photo of the Mate's room
-One photo of Crew's quarters
-Two photos of the Galley
-Two photos of the Pump room
-One photo of the Port Cargo Pumping Engine
-One photo of the Starboard Cargo Pumping Engine
-Two photos of the Main Engine and Lower Engine room
-One photo of the Refrigerator room
-One photo of the Electric-Hydraulic Streeter
-One photo of the Diesel Fire Pump and Generator
-One photo of the Main Switchboard
-One photo of the Electric Air Compressor and Surge Tanks
-One photo of the Water Systems
-One photo of the Engine room
-Three photos of the Upper Engine room
-Three photos of the Pilot House
-One photo of the Deckhouse
-One photo of the Windlass
-Four photos of the Main Deck

All pages are attached well to the binding, which lost its top ring; the bottom left-hand corner, below the spiral binding, is bumped throughout. The back cover is somewhat warped. Otherwise, this album is in excellent condition.

According to various websites - Great Lakes Vessel History; Tug Boat Information; Great Lakes BGSU; and Nemoha dot org, this ship was categorized as a Steel coastal tanker, oil its cargo. Engaged in coastal service until brought to the Great Lakes, November 1952. One deck, oil-fired diesel engine, 1200 BHP. October 1953, left the Great Lakes, transferred to off-Lakes service. 1971, renamed 'Christian F. Reinauer', and, later, as she changed hands, the 'Bobbi J.', 'Jax Fuel', the 'Stella D.', and the 'Fair Lady', remaining in service at least through the mid-1990s. Her current disposition is unknown.

At the McClurg Museum website, in the section of the Chautauqua County Historical Society, a postcard-pretty photo from Lakeview Avenue of Jamestown, New York is shown: the home of N.W. Gokey, original namesake of the vessel. He must have done quite well, because his house is a magnificent Victorian structure, one of several in that town designed by celebrated architect Aaron Hall (1830-1911).