Topic starter
08/06/2010 4:21 am
I decided months ago that I would need a break from work right before the season really started. What came from that was a great week of meeting new people, seeing new places, riding steamboats, and playing calliopes. My first stop was Mayville, New York where I got to ride the CHAUTAUQUA BELLE again thanks to Captain Mat Stage. From there, both Mat and I headed to Louisville to ride the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE and check out her calliope. We stayed at the home of the talented perfessor Travis Vasconcelos and were joined by the father-son duo of Dave and Zach Morecraft. We rode the BELLE for lunch on Friday, June 4th after tuning and playing the heck outta her calliope. Afterwards, we crossed the river and visited the Howard Museum after-hours with the help of the curator, Mr. Keith Norrington. While I thought that it was going to be another museum, I was greatly mistaken. While the first floor is dedicated to the Howard family (they ran the shipyard across the street until it became Jeffboat), the 2nd and 3rd floors are jam-packed with steamboat memorabilia, including models of various vessels like the DELTA QUEEN. Not only was the house itself full of things, but even the ground had interesting artifacts, such as the original paddlewheel shaft from the DQ and the brig from the BELLE (and aboard the AVALON before that). I would highly recommend a visit to the Howard and a ride on the BELLE to anyone who is visiting Louisville. Both are very interesting and worth the time! After that, we went to a local restaurant (not Kingfish or Joe's) that served wonderful whole-wheat pizza. Travis can tell us the name since it's escaping my mind right now. Finally, we made the drive to Peru, Indiana where Dave was nice enough to let us 'have at it' on his calliope for about 3 hours. All in all, it was a great time, and a much-needed break before the season really started on Lake George. Attached are a few pictures.
1. The BELLE's calliope being tuned by Dave
2. The calliope in action
3. The group from the Local Calliopist's #249. From left to right: Zach Morecraft, Dave Morecraft, myself, Travis Vasconcelos, and Mat Stage
Topic starter
08/06/2010 4:26 am
Next, we have some pictures from the Howard Museum.
1. The Howard from the outside.
2. As soon as one comes to the second floor, up on the left is this: a cabin arch from the ROBT. E LEE.
3. A old model of the DELTA QUEEN. There are also models of the TOM GREENE, MISSISSIPPI QUEEN, BELLE OF LOUISVILLE, INDIANA, GORDON C. GREENE, ROBT. E LEE, and SPRAGUE to name just a few.
Topic starter
08/06/2010 4:30 am
Out on the grounds, there are also some interesting artifacts worth seeing by any river fan.
1. Original paddlewheel shaft from the DELTA QUEEN.
2. Old pump that came from the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE.
3. Bring from the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE (on the AVALON before that).
08/06/2010 11:30 am
Thanks, Bubba, for the fine report of your trip to Kain-tuck and Southern Indiana. It really was great to see y'all and it was my pleasure to show you the museum, including the very HOT attic! I'm pleased to know you enjoyed the visit and I hope you come back soon, as you're always welcome. It was fun to share dinner with the group at Rocky's and truly does my heart good to see YOUNG people "hooked on steamboats"!!!
Your accolades for the Howard Museum are much appreciated. We hosted a pancake breakfast under the big tent on the lawn this past Saturday morning, a thank you to donors and families who contributed so generously to our recent capital campaign fund. Many of the attendees came into the mansion and it was gratifying to hear all the complimentary remarks which certainly would please Capt. Jim and Loretta Howard!
As posted previously, the next RIVER RAMBLINGS program at the museum will be on Saturday, August 21st at 3:00 PM (EDT) featuring Capt. Carl Henry as the presenter with the topic being, "From Paddlewheels to Propellers - A View from the Pilothouse". Carl's presentation will make good use of his exquisite photography and he will relate stories from his time as pilot of the Str. JULIA BELLE SWAIN, as well as his current position as master of the M/V/ FRANK T. STEGBAUER, of Southern Towing Company. Admission to the talk, which includes Judy's "Steamboat Chocolate Chip Cookies" and lemonade, is $5 per person.
Following Carl's talk, we will have a "RIVERBOAT RUMMAGE SALE", featuring gently used tee shirts, trinkets, pictures, post cards and other steamboat memorabilia treasures that need a new home. Old copies of The Waterways Journal will be available for 50 cents each. These WJ's are collector's items, as many of them bear mailing labels addressed to Mrs. Loretta Howard. Some items will be nominally priced and there will be containers of unpriced items -- ALL you can stuff into a bag for FIVE bucks. This will be a rare and great opportunity to add to your collection! ALL proceeds from the program and sale benefit the operating fund of the museum. Y'all come!
08/06/2010 11:54 am
Calliope capers
It seems to be a requirement when visiting the Howard attic that it be at least 100 degrees, but it is worth the sweat. I love that mansion, with or without the steamboat memorabilia, which just makes it superb. I also find it interesting that the home is still next to the shipyard - even though it has been renamed several times. I know you'll be tied up with work and unable to attend the River Ramblings this August, but hopefully many of our .orgers, posters and lurkers alike, will be able to come for the gala weekend. By the way, that restaurant you attended is Rockys. That whole area is a restaurant row, probably busier than anywhere else in the Louisville area. For out of towners coming, the Towne Place Suites, Fairfield Inn, and Sheraton are all right there, with several others up the interstate one exit.
A question about tuning the BELLE's calliope: with the keyboard displaced to the Texas deck, how does Dave get the requested note played? Do they have a walkie talkie or something? It looked like his tuning instruments were a lot smaller than a wrench I saw Doc use on the NATCHEZ.
By the way, is the other Mat also a calliope perfessor?
09/06/2010 1:24 am
It was a great pleasure to have the esteemed guests of Local Calliopist's #249 on the BELLE to give our calliope some much needed TLC! I wish you all safe travels!
Topic starter
09/06/2010 2:59 am
No, Judy, we did not have any walkie-talkies. What we did was Dave (standing at the calliope) would say what he wanted done, then Mat or Zach would yell down the pilothouse stairs to me, and I would then tell Travis what to do. It was an interesting way to get things done, but it worked 🙂
Topic starter
09/06/2010 3:04 am
Dan,
Thank you very much! From what I know, we all got home safely and lord knows we all had a great time. Thanks for your help the calliope, showing us around the engine room, and also helping me with my skinned knee. No one ever said it was gonna be easy, this whole Steamboatin' life 🙂 Looking forward to my next visit to the BELLE!
09/06/2010 5:35 pm
Calliope tuning the CCH way
Here's a picture taken around 1990 on a Sunday afternoon as Doc was tuning the calliope during his 2PM concert.
10/06/2010 12:34 am
Matt,
Few people get to tell me what to do and live to tell about it!
We have tuned it with walkie talkies before. Last time I did a touch up on it was in 1995, and I did it by myself running up and down the stairs. This was the first full tune since at least 1992. That, in and of itself says a hell of alot about the quality and construction of Dave's instruments!
Travis
Travis