The "Delta Queen" and her sister ship "Delta King" were fabricated in Scotland and disassembled for shipment to San Francisco. She was then sent to Stockton, California where she was reassembled and fitted for work in the Sacramento area. In 1941...
Excursion steamer; Steamboats; Riverboats; "East St. Louis"; "Virginia"; "Steel City"; "Island Belle"; "Greater New Orleans"; "Washington"
The"East St. Louis", shown here on one of her excursions, was originally built as the "Virginia" in 1895 at Cincinnati and was later called the "Steel City". She was renamed the "East St. Louis" in December 1916. At that time her owner was the...
A group of people are shown on the "Falls City" on the Kentucky River. The "Falls City" was built in 1890 at New Albany and worked the Louisville to Frankfort route until she had to be replaced with another boat bearing the same name in 1898.
The "Fleetwood" left Cincinnati on her maiden voyage August 26, 1880. She was retired about 1894. Notice the railroad tracks in the foreground, another boat approaching the docks and the ladies with their parasols.
Steamboats; Riverboats; W. S. McChesney, Jr.; Diesel; Ohio River
The "Froman M. Coots" began life as a steam ferry built for the Wiggins Ferry Company of St. Louis. At that time she was called the "W. S. McChesney, Jr." She served the Louisville and Jeffersonville areas. It was converted to diesel-electric...
The "G.W. McBride" was built in 1916 at Elizabeth, Pennsylvania as the "Conqueror". The "Conqueror" was upset in a storm and sank. She was raised, rebuilt, and named the "G.W. McBride" by Captain Birch McBride. She was sold to the Ohio River...
Here's another view of the "G.W. McBride", gliding along near Madison, Indiana. There is more information and another view under the title "G.W. McBride".
"General Pike"; Steamboats; Riverboats; Steamboat accidents; Mail steamers
On January 1, 1891, the "General Pike" collided with one of the Middleton and Wymond coal barges, causing both to sink in a very few minutes. Captain Sam Bryant, Clerk Ed Long, and Pilot Bowen managed to save everyone on board. She was built for...
Steamboats; Riverboats; "Cape Girardeau"; Greene Line
This boat was built in Jeffersonville, Indiana and was originally called "Cape Girardeau". She was acquired by the Greene Line in 1935 and became their family boat with Captain Thomas R. Greene in command. His mother was usually on board with his...
The "Hattie Brown" was built in 1884 and made a regular run from Warsaw to Madison, Indiana and back daily. She was converted to an oil engine in 1915; two years later she was lost in the terrible freeze of 1917-1918 when the Ohio River froze for...
On March 28, 1896 at St. Louis, a great, black cloud loomed menacingly over the city. The "City of Monroe" chanced to be moored at the Anchor Line wharf-boat, ready to start on her regular trip to New Orleans. She was heavily laden with freight...
According to Way's Packet Directory the "Homer Smith" was build by Howard's in 1914. The "Homer Smith" ran excursions on the lower Ohio in 1915 and briefly tried the Louisville and Cincinnati trade. It became a regular excursion boat at Pittsburg...
Steamboats; Riverboats; Excursion boats; "Belle of Louisville"; "Avalon"; Ferries; USO clubs; Rose Island
Built in 1914 this boat went by the name Idlewild from that date to 1947. She then became the Avalon from 1947 to 1962 when she was dubbed "Belle of Louisville". She is a shallow draft boat which enables her to glide over water that would not be...
The ferry boat "Indiana" plies the river past Madison, Indiana. She, no doubt, is headed up-river where she worked the Carrollton, Kentucky to Lamb, Indiana trade.
Steamboats; Riverboats; Excursion boat; Steamboat accidents; Ohio River
The "Island Queen" glides down the Ohio near Madison, Indiana. She was built in 1925 and for more than 20 years, she carried "day trippers" on the Ohio River between Cincinnati and Coney Island. She also ran excursions along the inland waterways...
She was built in Dubuque in 1896 as the "Quincy" for the Diamond Jo Line for use in the St. Louis-St. Paul trade. She was sold to the Streckfus Line and was completely rebuilt to become the super excursion boat, the "J. S. Deluxe." She was the...
The "J.T. Hatfield" is seen here at Madison, just past the Madison-Milton bridge. She was built as the "General Ashburn" but her name was changed in honor of James T. Hatfield when the Hatfield-Campbell Creek Coal Company bought her in 1945. She...
