Steamboats; Mail steamers; "Queen City"; Excursion boats; Riverboats; Steamboat accidents
The "Queen City" was built at Cincinnati Marine Railways for the Pittsburg and Cincinnati Packet Line. Coming back from a Mardi Gras trip she sank at the Falls of the Ohio on February 17, 1914. She laid up in the Kanawha River at Point Pleasant...
The "Washington" was dismantled after striking Cock Gate Dam #8 on August 16, 1936. Here she is docked at Madison, Indiana. The Madison-Milton Bridge is in the background.
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 "Belle of the Bends" was built in 1898 and in 1909 she sank and was raised for the first time. A year later she again went under and was raised. She ran as an excursion boat in New Orleans in 1910 and 1911. Soon after she was overhauled and...
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...
Steamboats; Riverboats; Excursion boats; "Belle of Louisville"; "Idlewild"; "Avalon"; Rivers
The "Idlewild" was sold to J. Harold Gorsage in 1947 and the name was changed to "Avalon". She became the most widely traveled excursion boat on the rivers. During her tramping days she made stops at Omaha, Nebraska; New Orleans; Stillwater,...
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...
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; Madison, Indiana; Rivers; "Kentucky"; "East St. Louis"
Here the "Kentucky" and "East St. Louis" pass Madison, Indiana. You can find out more about the boats by using the search feature and typing in the name of each boat.
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...
Steamboats; Riverboats; Marks and Benson; ice gorge; Steamboat accidents
The "Loucinda" was built in 1910 and was one of the casualties of the 1918 ice gorge that claimed several boats in Cincinnati. The inscription says, "Marks and Benson, American Boy excursion to Fern Grove, July 13, 1910.
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...
The old "Margaret J" is seen from the Milton side of the river. She is pushing the hull of the former ferryboat, "Trimble". The towboat "Inland" is making its way down the river. In the distance, at the far left, can be seen a piling being built...
