Topic starter
18/12/2009 3:09 pm
While rummaging in my filing cabinets for other things, I ran across some old pictures that are faded, but timely, for the season. These were taken in 1971 for a "Christmas on the River" party aboard the Str. BECKY THATCHER at the St. Louis levee. The ladies who operated the main deck gift shop aboard the boat, along with the St. Louis Visitors Center, sponsored a book signing party for St. Louis authors who had just-off-the-press publications in time for the holidays. One author was Norbury Wayman, with Life on the River, a wonderful pictorial history that contains hundreds of wonderful photographs and is in the collection of many steamboat buffs and buffettes.
A feature of the party was complimentary vegetable beef soup - made from 30 pounds of beef shanks and 15 different vegetables - by two chefs from the Famous-Barr Department Store and the Missouri Athletic Club. They made 30 gallons of it, also serving French bread and over 50 dozen homemade Christmas cookies (made by the gift shop ladies) from recipes in cookbooks published by various St. Louis organizations. Besides their usual fare of St. Louis and riverboat souvenirs, books, prints and postcards, the gift shop had a special display/sale of Christmas tree ornaments from around the world.
Photos:
(1) Visitors Center Gift Shop ladies decorating for "Christmas on the River".
(2) Decorating a Christmas tree atop a barrel on the Becky's landing barge.
(3) St. Louis authors in steamboat museum room (note chandelier from GORDON C. GREENE in background) with pilotwheel from a Memphis towboat. Chefs who prepared vegetable soup for the party.
18/12/2009 4:48 pm
St. Louis levee party
Judging by the volume of food, this party was expected to draw a big crowd. Was it a public gathering, or were invitations issued to libraries, literary clubs, etc.? At the time the St. Louis levee would have been highly populated by vessels and attractions. Were there other spots open at the same time to draw the crowds?
Topic starter
18/12/2009 4:56 pm
Yes, the "Christmas on the River" party was open to the public and very successful. Although the excursion boats (ADMIRAL, HUCK FINN & MISSISSIPPI BELLE) would have been laid up for the winter, the restaurant boats (BECKY & LT. ROBERT E. LEE) were open year round, as was the GOLDENROD SHOWBOAT, featuring not only oldtime melodrama on stage, but two bar rooms and music by the St. Louis Ragtimers, Singleton Palmer's Dixieland Band and others who sent their rollicking tunes reverberating across the river and cobblestone wharf from the brightly lighted riverboats. Capt. Jim Blum recalls one Christmas season when the lights outlining the decks and pilothouse of the BECKY were replaced with colored bulbs. All the old boats were popular venues for Christmas parties.
And, up Wharf Street, near Eads Bridge, was The Old St. Louis Levee House, in the historic waterfront building that formerly housed the Eagle Boat Store. It, too, was a year round venue for food, drink and music by the Ragtimers, as well as Jean Kittrell and others.
The boats are gone, the Levee House burned and now the riverfront is sadly silent! Frank Pierson and his "vision" are sadly missed!
Photos:
(1) St. Louis Ragtimers aboard the GOLDENROD SHOWBOAT at holiday time.
(2) Entrance to Old St. Louis Levee House - former Eagle Boat Store / Eagle Packet Company office building. Burned and razed in March, 1972.
(3) Old St. Louis Levee House - three story structure behind the railroad trestle on Wharf Street.
