Add to ORKGThe “James R. Barker” was built in 1976 by the American Ship Building Co. of Lorain, Ohio. She was owned by Interlake Steamship Co. (Pickands Mather & Co., Mgrs.), of Cleveland, OH, from 1976 until 1985. At the time of launch, the steel propeller vessel was the largest built entirely on the Great Lakes. In January of 1980, while laid up for winter at Old Union Dock in Ashtabula, OH, a fire started due to a welder’s torch resulting in minor damage. In August 1982, the vessel was laid up in De Tour, Michigan in order to undergo inspection for potential hidden port rudder damage. It is unknown what happened to the vessel after August 1982