For this special Wheelhouse issue of The Wateways Journal we will look at two important “firsts” that changed the lives of pilots for the better. In late 1929, the Howard… 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.
Like my friend Capt. Don Sanders, I also have those boats from the past that I consider favorites, even though I never had the opportunity to tread their decks. The… Read More
In 1938, the Inland Waterways Corporation (IWC), the government-owned barge line known among river interests as the Federal Barge Line, contracted with the Dubuque Boat & Boiler Company for a… Read More
In 1921, the Eichleay Contracting Company, Hays, Pa., built a sternwheel steam towboat for the U.S. Engineer Department. This was the first towboat built by Eichleay, and it was built… Read More
The subject of this column was prompted after Jeff Wilkes, riverman, realtor and historian from Savannah, Tenn., recently sent this writer a photo of a sunken boat that he had… Read More
There were two sternwheel packets named Granite State. According to Way’s Packet Directory, the first was built at California, Pa., in 1870 for Capt. Wash Kerr, who used it in… Read More
This first column for 2023 may be more appropriate for the Easter season since it involves a resurrection. The boat that will be described is 65 years old this year,… Read More
In the last column we looked at the Bessie E. Merrill, owned by Capt. Charles C. Stone of Point Pleasant, W.Va. It was mentioned that Capt. Stone dismantled his other… Read More
Capt. Steve Pearson recently shared with this writer a photo of the Str. Bessie E. Merrill that was in a frame along with a poem written by Mrs. Charles Wamsley,… Read More
Continuing in the vein of last week’s column, we will look at another steamboat that was an early member of the Hines fleet. The sternwheel steamer Betty Turner was built… Read More
