Old Boat Column

When people hear the word packet, most might envision the splendor of the legendary J.M. White, or the majestic Queen City. However, not all packets were large and palatial. Short-trade… Read More

After a 14-year absence, the Charleston, W.Va., Sternwheel Regatta has returned to the Kanawha River, and it took place over the Fourth of July weekend. The once enormously popular event… Read More

As mentioned in the column last week, Capt. Joseph Chotin wasted no time after the loss of his steamer J.N. Pharr, and almost immediately arranged with the Nashville Bridge Company,… Read More

Capt. Joseph Chotin owned and operated two steam, sternwheel towboats named J.N. Pharr. The first was a wood hull vessel, 115 by 24 feet, that had been built in 1910… Read More

In 1919, the U.S. government entered into a contract with Edward F. Goltra whereby four large towboats and 19 barges were to be built, paid for by the government with… Read More

The Fort Peck Dam on the Missouri River in Montana was authorized by Congress in 1927, and President Franklin Roosevelt signed an executive order in October 1933 under the National… Read More

In the May 23 Old Boat column, we mentioned the Boatyard of the U.S. Engineer Department at Gasconade, Mo., located near present-day Mile 104.8 on the right bank of the… Read More

Mention was made last week of the snagboat Missouri clearing the wreck of the Str. Elisha Woods. Snagboats are a nearly forgotten, though once very important, fixture on the navigable… Read More

There have been any number of formulas and theories as to the proper ratio between length and width of boat hulls. In 1901, the Howards built a steam sternwheel towboat… Read More

In 1892, the Huntington & St. Louis Towboat Company had a towboat built at Cincinnati that was named Wash Honshell. The hull was 157 by 28 feet, and the engines… Read More