Arabia Museum, Port of Kansas City

Glad you got to visit the ARABIA Museum Lex. That's still on my "bucket list" of things to do. I had a lengthy and delightful telephone conversation with Greg Hawley not too long before his tragic death. I'd heard that the Hawley family was working on another steamboat wreck.

*'Lawrence of Arabia' on the ARABIA*
Hi, Lexie & Steamboating colleagues,
I concur fully with Keith on the ARABIA Museum as one of the "bucket list of things to do" and many thanks for your posting following your recent visit. A number of us recall Greg Hawley and his crew visiting S&D one year in Marietta, Ohio with a full program on the discovery, recovery of the ARABIA complete with a display of artifacts found in the wreck. The amazing thing was viewing the many item including perfectly preserved sealed food jars containing vegetables, fruits, pickles, bottles of wine, champagne and spirits along with near perfect bolts of cloth in the cargo. China wear, pots, pans etc. were also recovered. Many of the wood boxes and crates still had fresh straw and packing inside when opened. Wood used in packing boxes then long before cardboard was dreamed of. The boat was far deeper than many of us expected and even though in the mud, the chill temperatures that deep helped preserve many of the items. There was even a then 'prefab' house broken down in components being shipped to be assembled ashore. The vast array of what would be luxury goods dispelled somewhat the prevailing view of 'the wild West' at the time.' The U.S. Government didn't declare the end of the frontier until 1890.

Question: Was any mention or display presented of the unfortunate horse that drowned on the lower deck when the ARABIA sank as it was tethered and couldn't escape? When the bones were found the poor horse was called 'Lawrence of Arabia' on the ARABIA. I agree that some kind of 'sound' of engines and steam would add greatly to the understanding by viewers. The ARABIA discovery one fine example of marine archeology on our rivers. Did you take any photos you could post here for us to see? Thanks again.

R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati.

Cause of the sinking

I visited the Arabia several years ago and was very impressed at the amount of cargo the boat was carrying. They even found perfume bottles with the perfume still usuable. They reproduced the scent and offered it for sale in the gift shop. So many boats were sunk by snags of tree trunks over the years. The incrediable thing included in the exhibit was the actual tree trunk that went through the bow to sink the Arabia. How often do you get to see THAT!

As Dale mentioned, David Hawley was the speaker for the banquet program at the 1989 S&D meeting, making a wonderful presentation about the excavation of the ARABIA. David distributed some small square cut nails from the cargo.

There are several fine books (written by David's brother Greg Hawley) and a video presentation available from the ARABIA Museum gift shop. You can order them and other unique souvenirs from the website.

Oooh Lexi, I am just green with envy!

*That pesky 'log' & perfume bottles*
Hi, Ted,
Thanks for refreshing my foggy brain RE: "perfume bottles still usable...reproduced the scent...offered in the gift shop." That another big surprise coming from the wreck of the ARABIA. That "actual tree trunk" still visible a real wonder. Again, the presence of so many types of what we would consider luxury goods at that time came as a real surprise. Keith, correct me if you can. The question was asked if any of the jars containing food items were ever opened and tentatively tasted or not? At this point I can't recall. I do recall years ago on a TV show a panel being offered a taste of a pie [Either apple or cherry] that had been made and either frozen or dehydrated nearly 90 years prior. I 'think' the show could have been 'I've got a secret' but not sure now. The panel poked their forks savoring the pie pronouncing it "tasty" only to look rather funny in the camera when they were told how old it was. Recently I saw on NATGEO on TV where archeologist opened sealed jars of honey from ancient Egypt pronouncing it sweet and good. I'm sure a certain percentage of the ARABIA's wine, spirits etc. were tasted with no problem. Who knows?

R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati

It's been several years since I was there at the ARABIA, and YES, it is everything you say. And YES, they should have some authentic steamboat sounds to go with it...along with the the scent of hot steam cylinder oil! I was fascinated by the fancy menu items available to the cabin pax. Cap'n Walnut

Steamboat Restaurant

Tom's posting about the Arabia menu caused a flash in my brain. (Dangerous this early on a Friday morning) I wonder if anyone has thought of opening a Steamboat Dining Room with appropriate furniture and architechture and featuring authentic menu items from historic steamboats. They should go so far as projecting moving river scenes on "windows" in the dining room so that you can feel like you are cruising on the river. Sound like fun?
(Sorry, it is early Friday morning and I have had only one cup of coffee)

*Restaurants on a steamboat theme*
Hi, Ted & Steamboating colleagues:
Ted, you raise an interesting question RE: "Restaurants on a Steamboat Theme" worthy of discussion. Sorry to say, this design theme around here has waxed and wanned over the years. A number of former river restaurants have failed for various reasons and I 'think' we discussed this on .org in the past. Trends in restaurant foods/menu offerings change frequently. At one time our Cincinnati International Airport over in northern Kentucky had a steamboat theme restaurant that, in time, was torn out and remodeled on new lines to change the image, update the cuisine. Pittsburgh had a fine hotel dining room with the theme complete with period recreated furnishings, wall murals etc. That also died on the vine and was torn out, remodeled.

What is or isn't going on now here with MIKE FINK restaurant not known to me but perhaps Frank Prudent can enlighten us. Covington Landing also went belly up and is gone. A 'steamboat menu' would pretty much be about the same as current offerings. The then trend for cajun cooking/seasonings also quickly disappeared with the constant need to keep menus changing and updated along with attention to diets and now 'healthy eating habits' seen even on the big 'blue water' cruise vessels. Floating boat restaurants also come with their own issues unlike land-based food emporiums: weather, river conditions, maintenance of a boat in the water, insurance etc. on and on. Capt. Bill Judd also may know more about that. The recent disastrous slump in the economy linked to changing tastes of diners also factors in the formula.

Food aboard the DELTA QUEEN here for years was always very, very good but limited. Nobody could cook like the old gang on the DQ with locally purchased vegetables, fruits in season picked up along the route the boat steamed. Many--including leading food writers--reported the DQ food as fine but not on the lines of the cuisine offered on the big 'brag' cotton boats they had imagined. Our own late Alan Bates wrote/commented often on the perception of old time steamboat food stating, "They could make anything taste decent with lots of lard and sugar...most boat food was 'slop.'" Another expert commented that steamboat food then possibly no better "than a boarding house ashore." DQ food years back famed for her wonderful steaks, cat fish, fried chicken, bread puddings, steamboat round of beef--which was also called 'railroad round of beef' or 'steamship round of beef.' Jime Reising and a few others here could relate some very humurous accounts of what happened to a couple of big rounds of beef on the DQ. How those people worked/cooked down below on the DQ turning out such tasty food a marvel. And there was nothing then like DQ steamboat coffee. 'Institutionalizing' of foods for the public now come delivered by huge multi-national companies. Not bad, mind you, but regarded as institutional. And then there is the human touch and labor factor in producing such cuisine 'from scratch' as was done so long on the GORDON C. GREENE and DELTA QUEEN. Cynthia LeJeune Nobles covered this brilliantly in her recent book, 'THE DELTA QUEEN COOKBOOK: The History And Recipes Of The Legendary Steamboat,' Louisiana State University Press, 2012 which a number of us here helped with contributions of history, graphics, photos, menus etc.

Anyway, a great topic for discussion on your part. I've old steamboat menus here along with clippings about fine meals offered on launch days, holidays and the then custom of 'Steamboat Open House.' Capt. Tom Greene had an often repeated quote about food he offered on GREENE LINE boats, "Hot foods hot, cold foods cold." Well, what do I know?

R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati.

*Quality control/Steamboat cooking*
Steamboating colleagues:
Sorry for being so 'gabby' on this thread but I'm killing time until I can mulch up autmn leaves outside.

One major factor in the old days of steamboat cooking was what is now termed 'quality control.' How those old time cooks and stewards did what they did under the conditions they worked a good question. Refrigeration was nearly non-existent with block ice purchased ashore until some refrigeration appeared in/around the 1880s/1890s. 'Cookhouse' equipment operated on coal ranges with some steam piped up from the boilers. Simply washing dishes, cutlery, pots/pans by hand a major job relegated to the younger 'boys' and stewards or cabin help aboard. Labor was an item then to be kept cheap. Again, the question of 'sanitation' questionable. Temperature control in cooking, baking of meats, fish, chicken etc. done by the sense of smell or poking with forks or spoons. Cookhouse working space was limited for the cooks standing side by side. Dressing of meats, chickens, turkeys to be slaughtered, plucked usually on the lower decks or outside the cookhouse on deck with wood tables. Milk, cream, dairy products purchased in port or along the way and kept somewhat chilled. Leftovers were re-cycled in other dishes for later meals. Fish, clams, oysters, lobster when available could be 'ify' with many accounts of illness aboard boats/ships being contanimated. Sound familiar?

My great-grandfather, George Acker, was a supplier of food products to several of the steamboat lines here in Cincinnati with the then L&C LINE being one big account. One order book here mentions 'Turkeys, squab, quail, pigeon, squirrel' being ordered and delivered. These on a seasonal basis unlless shipped in by rail. Metal canning of foods along with items in glass jars were also ordered by the case--and that meant wood cases. Beef, pork, lamb brought aboard whole from local markets and hung up for dressing/cutting out. Along with that came orders for flour, sugar, rice, oats, corn, beans, lentils, potatoes, lard etc. Several big innovations not only aboard or ashore came with frozen foods, electricity, pure water systems aboard and much later forced ventilation and air-conditioning. I can't imagine any of us here NOW who would want to work under the prevailing conditions back THEN. So much for steamboat romance.

In most cases laundry/linen aboard limited to non-existent. Accounts then also mention "wash women" in Cincinnati who did towels, bed linens, table cloths etc. ashore--by hand over boiling tubs, ironing all by hand until boats in time contracted out to then emerging large commercial laundry companies. Jim Reising and others of us recall the green AMERICAN LINEN CO. trucks arriving/departing at the big GREENE LINE wharfboat or at other stops along the way. At this point I'll stop and shut up.

R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati

I like your idea Ted! Indeed, it's Friday morning and we all need a second cup of coffree to prevent making too many blunders! I've made my share already today! You might recall that, many years ago, in Evansville was The Steamboat Inn and Bar which was decorated a la steamboat cabin with fancy arches, mock cabin doors, etc. There also was such a dining room in a long gone St. Louis hotel. Probably were others in various river cities.

Now that the MIKE FINK is closed and the RIVER QUEEN (ex-Gordon C. Greene) and BECKY THATCHER (ex-Mississippi) are only memories, the opportunity to dine in an authentic OLD steamboat cabin are gone, with the exception of the BELLE of LOUISVILLE.

Steamboat Dining Decor

Keith, don't forget the original King Fish restaurants in Louisville that were very "steamboaty."
Dale, good information on the history of food and food preperation on boats. Not a lot of romance in the galley or steamboat kitchens for sure. My first hand experience on the DQ in the summer of 1994 when I accepted the job of dishwasher. Definitely no romance. Just long, hard, hot, hours with a dish washing maching and a pot scrubbing sink. At least there was a dish machine.
I hope they can bring back the Mike Fink some day. I only got to dine there once in the 1970's and it was memorable. I still have the menu in a box somewhere in the attic.

Good grief! HOW could I forget the Kingfish restaurants? There were several, including one in Owensboro, that resembled steamboats. ALL of them are gone! When the one on the Louisville waterfront was demolished, only a few items were saved for the replacement restaurant on the Jeffersonville riverfront. I was told that all the steamboat gingerbread and decorations were hauled to the dump. The new Jeffersonville restaurant was slated to be a "steamboat", but a politician threw a monkey wrench into the works, maintaining that it would look "wrong" on the waterfront!

Here's the dinning room crew on the City of Cincinnati, ca. 1904.

Lawrence was a mule, which the owner claimed was stubborn and would not leave the boat. This was an out and out lie as the remains of Lawrence were found and he was still tethered to a heavy piece of equipment, saddled and bridled. The mule, saddle, bridle, and thing it was tied to are on display exactly as they were found. Lawrence was the only casualty.

The canned and bottled food items were sampled and found in good shape. No liquor was found. But they did not excavate the whole boat. Maybe some day.

Dinner on the GOLDEN EAGLE...her being a converted cotton packet didn't have a main cabin wide enough for dinning.

Cook on the GOLDEN EAGLE. Can you imagine the heat in the kitchen on a hot summer day with the coal fired cook stove simmering hot just a few feet away.

And while we're waxing eloquent, they could put out some chairs so people could just sit and almost experience the sights, sounds, and smells of a steamboat.

*Jim Reising's steamboat photos*
Steamboating colleagues:
Again, Jim Reising moves to the head of the class with his great photos on the theme of 'steamboat food and cooking.' I can assure you the men on the CITY OF CINCINNATI but a small number of the near squadron who manned the boat's main cabin for meals. Women were employed as 'chamber maids' but the cabin men serving table also doubling up cleaning, dressing passenger cabins. The mere work in setting up and breaking down the main cabin three times a day for meals daunting; then came general cleaning, dusting.

Dinner on the guards of the GOLDEN EAGLE may look quaint and fun, but think again. Chilly or wet weather causes me to ask what they did then? The GOLDIE may have had her dedicated following, but the usual run of travelers would, no doubt, have cringed at the eating arrangements. Chefs and culinary historians today look back at some of the old menus mentioning certain dishes and have positively little or no idea as to what they were or how they were prepared. Generally what was cooked, eaten ashore was found on boats and ships--within reason. There were at times steamboat menus but not as common as we think today. Waiters usually knew the menu from A to Z mentally and would 'announce' the various offerings. Many prided themselves on being able to remember each order without writing down on paper. Most of those Black waiters had far more sophistication and knowledge of good food, manners and etiquette than most of the passengers they served.

The gentleman swinging the big butcher knife in the GOLDEN EAGLE cook house appears to be dressing down a fine ham to 'get to the meat of the matter' while saving some of the fat for other cooking needs. I note the bare light bulb above, a large window hinged back for ventilation. If there were window screens for insects they are not visible. The cutting board he's using not unusual but the work surface underneath would give any present day city, state or U.S. Public Health inspector indigestion. And simply ONE violation of consequence can lay up any present day ship or boat. That working surface was often plain wood with cracks and seams catching globs of fat, crumbs, dirt. Other galley work surfaces a kind of metal or tin molded down and nailed. This hopefully for cleaning. Today's working surfaces smooth stainless steel with rounded edges required for sanitation. Big 'blue water' cruise ship galleys I've toured are totally wiped down four times a day for all surfaces, bulkheads, decks, appliances. In the old 'romantic steamboat days' washing was done with old brown TAG Soap [Who here remembers that? It was often used for medicinal purposes] and lots and lots of elbow grease as Ted has mentioned above. Clear and soapy ammonia for general cleaning purposes along with vinegar for windows and glass. Chlorine bleach for cleaning, disinfecting didn't appear until around 1913 and World War I.

Restaurants, clubs, public food emporiums, vessels now often subscribe to the newer look, design in interiors much lighter in appearance avoiding the ponderous heavy look so common with faux steamboat designs. A hint of 'boat' but lighter in color and textures. Diners often subtly feel the over-stuffed, heavy appearance of some decor in hot weather. The decor on the then new MISSISSIPPI QUEEN was far from 'steamboat' in look, feel and appearance. There's a formula to it and one can only hope they get it right. Well, again, what do I know?

R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati.