The Unsung Hero of the Guild: A History of Barge Poplar

2024 Pre-Apprentice Program Alumni, Roxy Hancock, poses in front of barge Poplar.

There is one vessel that is indispensable to everything PSPG does, and that is our workshop barge Poplar. For decades, this versatile floating woodworking and metalworking shop has enabled the Guild to shape and fabricate just about anything our ships need. Plus, it’s an eclectic storehouse of various materials and supplies.

Before the shipping industry developed containerization in the 1970s, much of the world’s trade moved in smaller units such as sacks, bales, or crates. These would be loaded into and out of ships a few at a time using cargo booms (frequently mounted on the ships themselves). This slow process was known as “breakbulk cargo handling”. Sometimes only a portion of a ship’s cargo would be destined for a particular pier, or the ship was too deeply laden to tie up in a certain slip. In those cases, the shipping company would employ a service known as “lighterage”; where a tugboat would bring a barge alongside the anchored ship to receive a portion of the cargo, making the ship lighter. Our dear Poplar is one of these cleverly named “lighter barges”.

As a utilitarian piece of equipment in her early days, Poplar’s origins are somewhat uncertain. A big clue to her build date is that she is entirely welded, rather than riveted. While welding was a shipbuilding technique before World War II, its use did not become widespread until after the war. Another clue is that the top of each of her four bitts have “Wiley 48” welded into them. Could that denote 1948, or the 48th built or owned by a company named Wiley? Yes.

Aerial views of the Independent Pier Company at the Tioga Marine Terminal along the Delaware River in Philadelphia. Adjacent piers are visible and a large ship is docked at the facility. Businesses lining Delaware Avenue just west of the riverfront can be seen as well. October 19, 1933. Look closely, and you can see some tugs that were a part of Jupiter’s fleet. Sourced from: https://digital.librarycompany.org/islandora/object/digitool%3A62235 

One side of Poplar’s deckhouse is proudly labeled “Independent Lighterage Company”. This was one of the companies of the Meyle family’s Independent Pier Co., along with Independent Towing (owner of Jupiter). They named their barges after trees, thus we get Poplar.

The house is equipped with four large hatches which would open to allow cargo to be loaded into the area that is now our workshop. One of our long-time members has fond memories of sitting on the roof of the barge as a kid when his father was Jupiter’s captain in the 60s. They would do frequent trips to the Jack Frost sugar refinery at what is now Rivers Casino (originally Sugar House Casino).

Poplar was given to the PSPG by the Meyle family in the late 1980s, and over the next several years was converted to serve the needs of the Guild. The space inside the hull, which was originally a sealed buoyancy space, was opened up for storage. Volunteers cut and welded the stairs in place. A large air compressor was installed and plumbed around the shop, and the barge was wired for lighting and to power the large equipment. The shop is equipped with a comprehensive set of large woodworking machines, as well as a welding area and a blacksmith's forge.

During the winter months, when Gazela is tucked under her cover and the sailing season winds down, our work doesn’t stop—it often shifts aboard Poplar, the heart of the guild during the off-season. Not only a floating workshop, Poplar also serves as a classroom and community hub. From tackling some of the heaviest maintenance projects—servicing Gazela’s yards, replacing hatches, reefing deck planks—to gathering volunteers for training sessions, winter workdays, and planning for the year ahead, Poplar keeps our organization moving forward.

Poplar also brings us together in other ways: potlucks, holiday celebrations, sea shanty singalongs, and even fireworks-watching on New Year’s all take place aboard her decks. Thanks to Poplar, the Guild can stay active, connected, and ready to face a big year like America’s 250th. Even when Gazela is resting, Poplar makes sure the Philadelphia Ship Preservation Guild never slows down, and we're looking forward to another winter gathered around her wood stove with our crew! Keep an eye out on our calendar for updates about fall and winter events, including our next potluck.