The present low-water situation on the Upper and Lower Mississippi brings the importance of the large Corps of Engineers dredges to prominence. Those working the rivers and depending on the… 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.
In 1922, the Howard Ship Yard built a steam sternwheel boat for the Vicksburg Engineer District. The boat, named Tallulah after a small community in Louisiana opposite Vicksburg, Miss., had… Read More
In the years 1867 and 1868, a tax was levied against the residents of Paducah, Ky., in order to satisfy a judgment obtained by the owners of the packet Sam… Read More
In December 1923, the Swiss Oil Company, primarily involved in oil exploration and gathering, hired a young Paul G. Blazer and tasked him with selecting a refinery to purchase. Blazer… Read More
Diesel-powered propeller towboats had been making great strides since the early 1920s with yards such as the Howards, Wards and Nashville Bridge, and it was only natural that Dravo would… Read More
Last week we looked at the Str. General Ashburn. As mentioned, it was one of four steam, sternwheel towboats built by Dubuque Boat & Boiler Company for the Upper Mississippi… Read More
In the column of September 5, we looked at the Str. Mark Twain and the Missouri River Navigation celebration trip. While the Mark Twain was the lead towboat and carried… Read More
In 1898, a group of investors purchased the Anchor Line packet City of New Orleans with the idea of rebuilding it into a superior Upper Ohio River packet. The City… Read More
As addressed in this column last week, big things were happening on the Missouri River in June of 1932. The much touted “6-foot channel” was nearly ready for traffic, and… Read More
Fire-breathing behemoths once roamed the Missouri River. No, this isn’t in reference to prehistoric or mythical creatures, but rather the four large dredges built by the U.S. Engineer Department to… Read More
