Longtime Belle of Louisville Captain Retires

The National Historic Landmark known as the steamer Belle of Louisville had the fires lit under the boilers on March 25 in preparation for getting warmed up and checked out for the vessel’s 112th season, which was scheduled to begin April 5. The familiar face of a person that has been associated with the boat for 52 of those 112 years will be missing from the crew when the whistle blows and the boat backs out to begin the excursion trips this year.

Mike Fitzgerald joined the crew of the Belle of Louisville as a 17-year-old deckhand fresh out of high school in 1974. He grew up not far from the Ohio River in Louisville, but he had no idea when he first started that the job would turn into a career of over half a century. Fitzgerald says he was privileged to work for a short time with Capt. Clarke C. “Doc” Hawley and Capt. Roddy Hammett before they and some other members of the crew left to join the new Str. Natchez that was built for New Orleans in 1975.

He felt that the departure of some of the veteran crew members from the Belle of Louisville provided an opportunity for him to advance a little faster. By 1976, he was head deckhand, and in November 1977 he sat for his first license. Fitzgerald credits men like Capts. Charles Larkin, Walter Blice, Lee Cable and Greg Menke with encouraging and nurturing him toward becoming a pilot.

In April 1979, he was standing regular pilot watches aboard the historic vessel, and in August of that year he became an alternate master. In March 1983 he was named senior master of the Belle. I cannot recall the first time that I met Capt. Mike Fitzgerald, but over the years it has become so that I can’t think of the boat without thinking of him. Fitzgerald also spent time aboard towboats during some of the off seasons to extend his knowledge and experience.

He remained senior master until 2001, when he stepped down from that position but remained with the boat as a part time pilot. He also worked aboard the casino boat Glory of Rome, which was docked in Indiana a few miles below Louisville at that time. In 2009, he returned to the Belle of Louisville full time as a carpenter and pilot. The position of carpenter was certainly no easy task, as one of the main duties was to repair and maintain the sternwheel of the vessel, which is all wooden except for the shaft, flanges and a few fastening components. Another steamboat veteran, Capt. Don Sanders, likens sternwheel work to “sledgehammer carpentry.”

In 2024, Fitzgerald was nominated for and won the Louisville Tourism “Rose” award, which stands for “Recognition Of Service Excellence.” Following the River Roots Festival at Cincinnati last October, Capt. Fitzgerald was aboard the Belle of Louisville as it ran up the Ohio River to the Amherst Madison shipyard at Kanauga, Ohio, for a scheduled five-year docking and inspection. Since this type of journey was much out of the ordinary for the boat, the trip was closely followed by enthusiasts and river photographers.

Earlier this year, Capt. Fitzgerald officially retired, and he is looking forward to spending time with family at his home in southern Indiana. When asked about his career and what he had enjoyed the most, he readily replied, “The people I have met and got to work with. I had great folks and officers willing to pass on knowledge.” He said that one of the most valuable lessons that he learned early on was, “This job is not about us. It is about the boat!”

When asked what his worst experience had been, he was very quick to say, “That’s easy – when the boat sank!” In August 1997 the historic vessel partially sank at its moorings at Louisville due to a valve in a city water line allowing water to flood hull compartments. Fitzgerald says that he well remembers feeling sick to his stomach after receiving the call at home early that morning and rushing to the boat. He related that the rapid salvage of the boat was made possible through the combined efforts of the river community, Corps of Engineers and the Coast Guard.

We wish Capt. Mike Fitzgerald a very long and pleasant retirement, with hopes that he does come out to do some tripping from time to time.

Featured photo caption: Capt. Mike Fitzgerald blowing the Belle of Louisville’s whistle while passing Russell, Ky., on October 16, 2025. (Photo by Capt. David Smith)