In the St. Louis area, Calhoun County, Ill., is a narrow peninsula that was organized in 1825. Strategically situated beween the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, today the region can… 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.
One hundred and seven years ago today, the steel hull of the steamer Idlewild plunged into the Allegheny River at the James Rees yard on October 18, 1914. It… Read More
The passing on July 14 of Capt. Bill Streckfus at age 88 brings to mind that he took special interest in maintaining the 32-note Nichol calliope that was… Read More
This week’s main image is one of my favorite Southern steamboat pictures. The Charles H. Organ was built in 1897, at Dubuque, Iowa, for the West Memphis Ferry… Read More
The recent destruction on the Gulf Coast by Hurricane Ida brings to mind a “ferry tale” of 56 years ago. In 1892, the Howard Shipyard & Dock Company… Read More
Built by the Axton yard at Brownsville, Pa., in 1895, the sturdy sternwheel towboat Tornado was constructed, to specifications drawn by J.M. Hammitt, on a wooden hull that measured… Read More
Slightly over nine decades ago, on July 24, 1928, the old river tradition of steamboat racing was revived at Cincinnati, Ohio. Tens of thousands of cheering spectators lined the banks… Read More
The Mozena Brothers’ boat yard, owned by Marshall and Henry Mozena at Clarington, Ohio, was well-known for constructing many of the most successful sternwheel packets operating on the… Read More
The Old Boat Column this week presents a steamboat named for a renowned river city. Known internationally as a quaint Southern town with a rich culture, the little river… Read More
Recent acquisitions to the writer’s collection of regional river memorabilia are a post card and freight bill from the steamer Falls City. Built in 1898 at Cincinnati for the… Read More
