Steamboats Round the Bend (Part 2)
by Nori Muster, Editor of Steamboats.com
April 3, 2009

Well-known American steamboat devotee Nori Muster tells us where to find a paddle wheel river cruise despite the temporary loss of Delta Queen and all similar vessels.

Another concentration of paddlewheelers can be found in Old Town Sacramento, home of the Spirit of Sacramento, Island Girl, and Delta King. The Spirit of Sacramento traveled to California under its own power in 1997, following a route from the Gulf of Mexico, through the Panama Canal, and finally under the Golden Gate Bridge to the Sacramento River. Spirit and Island Girl dock next to the Delta King, sister ship of the Delta Queen, which now serves as a floating hotel, convention center, restaurant, and mystery theater. The King sacrificed its mechanical parts to the Delta Queen in 1964, and then sunk for a year and a half in the early 1980s, but is now fully restored to its original beauty.

While numerous paddlewheelers grace our big cities, most of our nation's sweetheart boats are tucked away on small waterways miles from anywhere. For example, you can ride the Dixie Belle under the London Bridge in Lake Havasu, Arizona, half way between Phoenix and Las Vegas. You can drive a hundred and thirty-four miles southeast of Chicago to Webster Lake, Indiana, to catch a ride on the Dixieboat. You can go for an overnight cruise on the Riverboat Twilight in Scales Mound, Illinois, twenty-five miles east of Dubuque. There may be a paddlewheeler near you, or hidden along the route of your next driving vacation.

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Besides the boats that offer public cruises, bring your binoculars and camera to hunt for smaller, privately owned craft, which operate exclusively for family and friends. The Gambler, out of Rayland, Ohio, is a good example. The owners, Gary and Marilyn Morton said, "This vessel began as a family project in 1983. It was intended to be a learning experience for the boys (nine and eleven) and a chance to develop camaraderie amongst all." Many of the home-made, privately-owned boats are registered with the American Sternwheel Association. They organize regattas and attend tall ships festivals and other riverboat gatherings. Many of the ASA's boats are based in Ohio and West Virginia.

Another way to see an authentic paddlewheeler is in a museum exhibit. In Kansas City, Missiouri, the Steamboat Arabia Museum commemorates a sidewheeler that sunk in 1856. The wreck was discovered in 1988 after the river shifted, and a dedicated team of volunteers began to excavate the site. The museum tells the story of the Steamboat Arabia and displays relics recovered from the dig, as well as a full-size recreation of the boat's main deck and one of its sidewheels.

The William M. Black was one of four nearly identical sidewheelers built in 1934 as dustpan dredges to operate on the Mississippi River for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The boat retired in 1973 and now serves as a bed and breakfast in Dubuque, fully restored and refitted, as a project of the Mississippi River National Museum.

The Barbara H., a registered National Historic Landmark, is a fully operational sternwheel towboat that travels between Cincinnati and Louisville offering dockside tours. It is a project of the Historic Sternwheeler Preservation Society and all tour fees go to support the restoration and continued operation of the boat.

With Americans looking for economical travel adventures in these difficult days, paddlewheel boats offer a solution. For the cost of gasoline, a hotel booking, and entry fees to the boats you visit, you can take your family on a journey to discover America. The nation's paddlewheelers are listed at http://steamboats.com/research/50states.html. Many boats require a charter or reservation, so research your trip thoroughly before heading out.

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