Editor’s note: Keith Norrington is retiring as Old Boat columnist for The Waterways Journal after a decade of weekly articles. His final column will appear April 4; until then, we… 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 1894, as the Howard family prepared to occupy their newly completed 22-room riverside mansion at Jeffersonville, Ind., their shipyard built the towboat Fritz, named for Capt. Fritz Mentor. The… Read More
Of the many beautiful steamboats owned by the famed Anchor Line, all were sidewheelers except one. Built at a cost of $36,500 by the Howard Shipyard at Jeffersonville, Ind., in… Read More
The steamer Silver Moon was notably a unique vessel. The boat was designed and built specifically to fit into the short locks of the Louisville & Portland Canal. Constructed in… Read More
A recent acquisition is this excellent image of a steamboat that played a prominent role in the maintenance of the St. Louis waterfront for many years. Built in 1907 at… Read More
The snagboat E.A. Woodruff was typical of the unique vessels operated by the U.S. government, known as “Uncle Sam’s Toothpullers,” which helped to keep channels cleared of debris. The iron… Read More
An attractive sternwheeler built by the Ayer & Lord Marine Ways at Paducah, Ky., in 1918, the H.G. Hill was 165 feet in length by 30 feet in width. The… Read More
In the early days of my river interest during the 1960s, it was my good fortune to become friends with Capt. Harris Underwood (1898-1982) who served as pilot of the… Read More
Well-known on the Ohio River was a pretty packet boat that was popular in the annals of steamboating. The Tell City was constructed in 1889 by the Howard Shipyard at… Read More
Happy New Year! Along with the onset of winter, we begin the first Old Boat Column of 2022 with a look back at Alton Slough, a narrow inlet on the… Read More
