Built in 1896 at Madison, Ind., the wooden hull of the towboat Gleaner measured 185 feet in length by 35 feet in width. Five boilers supplied steam to engines (24-inch… 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.
It has often been said that no steamboat that ran in the Fort Benton trade had a more varied or interesting career than the Josephine. The wooden hull—measuring 183 feet… Read More
The sidewheeler Charles Morgan was reputedly one of the most popular packets ever to ply the Cincinnati–New Orleans trade. Built in 1874 by the Cincinnati Marine Railway & Dock Company,… Read More
This week, we visit Vicksburg, Miss., with two vintage views, taken in 1906. One can almost vicariously experience the sights, smells and sounds of the bustling waterfront. At the left… Read More
Originally named Annie M, this sternwheel towboat was built in 1888 at Gadsden, Ala., by A.J. Sweeney & Son. Constructed on a wooden hull that measured 122 feet in length… Read More
Capt. Jim Howard, with his trusty glass plate negative camera (now exhibited at the Howard Steamboat Museum) took this week’s Old Boat Column image, as the towboat Lookout was being… Read More
On the weekend of September 14–15, members and friends of the Sons & Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen (S&D) will gather by the rivers at the historic river city of Marietta,… Read More
This week, the Old Boat Column presents a picture of two rather obscure riverboats, the City Belle and the Calypso. Until 1961, the image was believed to have been taken… Read More
In the heyday of excursion steamboating, this time of year was the peak season for the riverboats to prowl the inland waterways, offering daytime cruises as well as “moonlites,” with… Read More
By the 1930s the last remaining riverboats to carry freight and passengers were beginning to fade from the scene. This week, the Old Boat Column presents a colorized vintage view… Read More
