Golden Eagle Mtg to feature S.S. ADMIRAL program

The Golden Eagle River Museum Club meeting on Sunday, July 1st will feature a program entitled "Growing Up with the Admiral", presented by Annie Blum, who posts on this board, along with her husband, Capt. Jim Blum, who was once a pilot on the ADMIRAL and has also been on the DQ and BELLE OF LOUISVILLE. Annie, now a retired St. Louis educator, worked on the steamer ADMIRAL from 1962 through 1978, the last year the big boat ran excursions. Annie's program begins at 1:30 at the Carondelet Historical Society, 6303 Michigan Avenue, St. Louis. The telephone number is 314/481-6303. Annie's presentation will share remembrances of working with Capts. Roy Streckfus and Bill Carroll, as well as relating other experiences aboard the 4,000 passenger sidewheeler, built on the hull of the railroad ferry ALBATROSS.

Speaking of the Golden Eagle River Museum: As many already know, the museum closed in 2004 and most of the artifacts were donated to the Southeast Missouri Regional Museum at Cape Girardeau. Their new museum building adjacent to the Mississippi River Bridge is nearing completion and a mid October opening is planned. Under the direction of Dr. Stanley Grand, a special gallery will contain the revered relics from the Golden Eagle River Museum, such as the counter and shelves from the Eagle Boat Store, Capt. Buck Leyhe's rolltop desk, pilotwheel of the famed BETSY ANN, etc. The new building's construction can be viewed on the web at www5/semo.edu/museum

Although the Golden Eagle River Museum is no more, the club, founded in the 1940's, continues on, meeting regularly for programs, fellowship and maintaining an archive at the Carondelet Historical Society which includes the pilotwheel of the Str. WILLOW. Memberships in the Golden Eagle organization are $8 per year single and $15 family, or $100 lifetime. A newsletter, The Paddlewheel, is published six times a year. Send dues to treasurer Ed Miller at 12616 Cottage Ridge, St. Louis, MO 63127.