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.

A Modern Diesel Boat Followed The Alexander Mackenzie At MMC Official shipyard portrait in the Marietta Manufacturing Company ad in the WJ of October 14, 1939. (David Smith collection)

Official shipyard portrait in the Marietta Manufacturing Company ad in the WJ of October 14, 1939. (David Smith collection)

A Modern Diesel Boat Followed The Alexander Mackenzie At MMC

October 22, 2023

While the Marietta Manufacturing Company (MMC) was completing and outfitting the big steam towboat Alexander Mackenzie (WJ October 9) at its Point Pleasant, W.Va., shipyard, the first steel… Read More

First Oil Tow To Sioux City Kansas City Socony at Sioux City June 27, 1940. Photo from the WJ July 6, 1940, issue. (David Smith collection)

First Oil Tow To Sioux City

October 14, 2023

In the September 18, 2023, issue of The Waterways Journal, this column detailed the Kansas City Socony and mentioned that it had initiated the first oil tow into… Read More

One Of The Last Steam Sternwheel Towboats The Alexander Mackenzie soon after entering service in 1939. This photo was often used in MMC ads in the WJ. (David Smith collection)

The Alexander Mackenzie soon after entering service in 1939. This photo was often used in MMC ads in the WJ. (David Smith collection)

One Of The Last Steam Sternwheel Towboats

October 9, 2023

The August 6, 1938 issue of The Waterways Journal carried a small story on page 5 concerning A.C. Ingersoll accepting a position with a new company on the Illinois… Read More

An ‘Old’ Boat Still Going Strong The Fort Jackson as owned by John I. Hay on September 25, 1956. (Jeff Yates photo)

An ‘Old’ Boat Still Going Strong

October 2, 2023

The question of exactly when a vessel becomes an “old boat” and a fit subject for this column has been addressed before, and it was touched on specifically in… Read More

The Kansas City Socony Goes To The Ohio River Virgie Mae above Gallipolis Lock, June 24, 1974. (Jeff Yates photo)

The Kansas City Socony Goes To The Ohio River

September 25, 2023

In the last column, we looked at the Kansas City Socony, built by the Elliott-Fairfax Shipyard at Kansas City, Kan., in 1937. It was 125 by 32 (a… Read More

The Kansas City Socony Was A Boat Of ‘Firsts’ Kansas City Socony in a front-cover WJ ad for Superior diesels, May 21,1938. (David Smith collection)

The Kansas City Socony Was A Boat Of ‘Firsts’

September 18, 2023

Capt. Phil C. Elsey was one of the founders of the Sons & Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen. A group of river personages gathered at the Hotel Lafayette in Gallipolis,… Read More

Husky—The Rest of The Story Painting of the W.V. Keeley by Mike Hager’s father. (Courtesy Mike Hager)

Husky—The Rest of The Story

September 10, 2023

In the last column we looked at the Husky, built by F.W. Olcott at Paducah in 1937 as the initial vessel of the Upper Mississippi Towing Corporation. UMTC… Read More

The Husky, First Boat for Upper Mississippi Towing The Husky in service for Upper Mississippi Towing Corporation. (Dan Owen Boat Photo Museum collection)

The Husky in service for Upper Mississippi Towing Corporation. (Dan Owen Boat Photo Museum collection)

The Husky, First Boat for Upper Mississippi Towing

September 4, 2023

While the large steam sternwheel Jack Rathbone was under construction at the Marietta Manufacturing Company at Point Pleasant, W.Va., in 1937, a small diesel towboat was also being… Read More

Revisiting The Steam Prop A.M. Scott Str. A.M. Scott at Point Pleasant in 1913. (David Smith collection)

Revisiting The Steam Prop A.M. Scott

August 27, 2023

We detailed the A.M. Scott in the April 10, 2023, issue of The Waterways Journal. This boat was an early steam twin-prop towboat, described in Way’s Steam Towboat… Read More

The Jack Rathbone, Last Steam Sternwheeler For Standard Oil New at MMC with the shipyard ways in the background. Photo from an MMC ad in the July 31, 1937, WJ. (David Smith collection)

New at MMC with the shipyard ways in the background. Photo from an MMC ad in the July 31, 1937, WJ. (David Smith collection)

The Jack Rathbone, Last Steam Sternwheeler For Standard Oil

August 22, 2023

While new diesel-driven towboats were making headlines in the 1930s, steam power was still king, and several significant new steamers were built in the waning days of steam construction. Read More

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