James R. Barker
The Great Lakes freighter James R. Barker was built in 1976 for the Interlake Steampship Company. One of the first thousand-footers on the Lakes (the first being the Stewart J. Cort), the James R. Barker is named for the President and Chairman of the Board of Interlake Steamship Company. Another ship, the Kaye E. Barker, is named for his wife and is featured in the full version of this episode. The St. Marys River channel connects Lake Superior with Lake Huron and is the site of the Soo Locks in the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Ontario. The locks carry ships past the natural rapids of the St. Marys and were constructed in