In a recent conversation, the question was raised of what was the first towboat with a retractable pilothouse. The Bull Calf was mentioned, but it came out in 1939 with… Read More
Old Boat Column
A look back into the rich history of the inland waterways transportation industry. From the earliest steam paddlewheelers to the grand sternwheel and sidewheel packets, and the eventual transition from steam to diesel, you’ll find fascinating stories and photos of a different steamboat every week.
The January 5 Old Boat Column on the Aetna-Louisville and Allied-Ashland really struck a nerve, judging from the response, so this column will take a closer look at them. Built… Read More
The Ohio River valley, along with much of the Mississippi River system, recently went through winter storm Fern, which dumped several inches of snow in the upper regions, freezing rain… Read More
Capt. Jeff Yates, long with The Waterways Journal and current consulting editor of the Inland River Record, recently queried if there were going to be any Greenville, Miss.-built boats to… Read More
As mentioned in this column before, American Barge Line (ABL), forerunner of present-day ACBL, was formed in the late 1920s when Andrew and Patrick Calhoun pooled resources with W.C. Read More
Streett Towing Company was formed in 1943 as a partnership by Harper C. Patton, Kenneth C. Baker and Rolla W. Streett to move petroleum products for J.D. Streett & Company… Read More
As a young boy growing up in Catlettsburg, Ky., our house backed up to the earthen floodwall about a half mile from the mouth of the Big Sandy River. In… Read More
Picking that perfect Christmas present for the boss is always a challenge. In 1946, the indisputable “boss” at Ashland Oil & Refining Company was Paul Garrett Blazer. Swiss… Read More
H.G. “Chilli” Simpson of Charleston, Mo., a former Mizzou football player, began opening gas stations in southeast Missouri under the name Simpson Oil Company during the late 1920s and 1930s. Read More
The Vacuum Oil Company was founded in Rochester, N.Y., in 1866. Standard Oil purchased the company in 1879. By 1904, it began using “Mobiloil” as a brand name for… Read More
