Topic starter
10/10/2009 2:57 pm
Hey all,
Tomorrow (11, October 09) The BELLE OF LOUISVILLE will celebrate her 95th year with a special cruise from the 4th Street wharf (Her home of 47 years). A local television station did a little piece last night about when she first came to Louisvile and I wanted to share it...a snippet of steamboating circa 1962. They usually take these little specials off the website with in 2 days of their airing...so go quick to see it! WHAS11 - Video On Demand | WHAS11.com | News for Louisville, Kentucky
She sure looks different with the name AVALON on the port side...and how about all the steamboaters in the background of all the scenes...see how many of them you find and can remember!
For information on the cruise tomorrow, go to .... Steamboat Belle of Louisville - Cruise Calendar
Travis
10/10/2009 5:19 pm
And a big happy birthday to the Belle from Cincinnati and a big hats off to her crews all these years who are the reason for her existance today. You should all be immensly proud that the old gal looks as good and runs as good as ever. Sorry we can't be down for the cruise tomorrow, got work to do on our own old boat. Sure would enjoy hearing that whistle, my favorite of all steamboat whistles, in this crisp fall air.
Here's to another 95 Str. BOL!
10/10/2009 6:34 pm
'62 video
Thanks for posting that video link. The name AVALON looks normal to me, but then I've got a few years on you Travis. Was that Paul Underwood being interviewed behind the pilothouse? I couldn't distinguish anyone else on the first viewing. Here's hoping her birthday cruise isn't in snow, which we are getting today!
Topic starter
10/10/2009 6:49 pm
Judy,
You don't have that many years on me...to remember the AVALON you'd have had to have seen her as a very little child!
yes, I saw Capt Paul Underwood in the behind Pilothouse scene....there is also a shot of County Judge Marlow Cook (who paved the way for the BELLE to exist here in the first place) and I believe in the video montage (these scenes were all on different days in fall of 1962 I think...please feel free to correct me there Capt. Bates), towards the end you see the good wife of Capt. Alan Bates, Mrs. Rita who christened the BELLE in September of 1962.
Travis
10/10/2009 6:57 pm
AVALON days
Yes, I was a kid through teenager when the AVALON tramped here. I was in kindergarten the year Doc started as the calliope player when he was in high school. I can't say I remember that year, 1951, as the AVALON was docked in Davenport next to the GORDON C. GREENE, and I don't remember that. But from 1952 on with her at the Rock Island levee is in my memory bank. Excuse me, I need to go take some Geritol now before gulping a couple of glucosamine tablets for my old joints!
The first time I rode the NATCHEZ in 1980 was the first time I really had a chance to talk to Doc. I was in the pilothouse with a couple of other DQ passengers, who were talking about her. When I mentioned the AVALON, Doc's head whipped around and exclaimed: "You remember the AVALON?" And that was the beginning of our friendship......