Goldenrod

Hope this isn't the "Final Curtain" for the GOLDENROD!

Thanks for the update Wayne. I know there is/was a group in St. Louis that was hoping to revitalize the old showboat. They had a fundraiser some months back, featuring the St. Louis Ragtimers, which was the "house band" on the boat for many years. I'll contact several sources in St. Louis that might have some information as to the reason for the dumpster being in place.

Let's hope this isn't the end, but the last couple of years have brought about the demise of too many vintage vessels.

Please keep us posted!

Thanks Keith,
Nothing to report so far , no activity around her but the dumpster is still in place. Lot's of water on the Illinois right now and she is riding high. Such a shame as to what has happened to her over the last few years. I hope someone will step in and save this piece of history before it is too late. Will report back if i see anything going on.
Sincerely Wayne

Cleaning, not scrapping

A colleague I know was recently in the Kampsville area. They were invited aboard the GOLDENROD during the time the noted activity was taking place. According to them, the activity that is taking place is some cleaning in preparation to show the boat to a prospective owner. The prospective owner is not a scrap dealer, either. I do not know if the visit has taken place yet, or if the prospective owner is still interested. We can only hope that a caring person steps forward soon.

As for the GOLDENROD itself, my colleague reports that the boat is in need of someone who will care for it. There is obvious infiltration by outside animals, probable leaking during rain and snow storms, along with advancing age, of course.

More info?

Who is the prospective buyer and what are his or her plans for the boat?

How could we contact your colleague for more info?

Thanks!

Bob King

Mark,
Thanks for the info but i will keep watching the old girl. I hope that someone that cares for her does get her in time to save the poor boat. Time is wasting away and if she continues to be neglected her time will run out. I wish i had the money, she would be mine in a heartbeat and restored to her former glory. But unfortunately that's not in the cards for me. Just a working stiff living paycheck to paycheck.

I love that boat and if i ever get an idea that someone is thinking of scraping her i will make as big of a stink as i can to save her.

Bob , I'm curious too since everyone else that does know whats going on or should is being very closed mouth about her status. Doesn't look like anything is going on as far as she is concerned . Dumpster is still in place but have seen no activity when i have been by her. But i will be watching and i have several others that are watching her as well.
Thanks again Mark and i sure hope that your info is correct. Would be a relief to have someone committed to her care and well being!
Thanks Wayne

I wonder what it would take to get permission to tour the GoldenRod and maybe camp out on her for a day or a weekend. I have an idea, as a licensed Amateur radio operator a special event could be done aboard her. Radio operators from all over would want a customized QSL card marking this special event. Not a money maker as that's not permitted by FCC regulations but it might draw attention to her plight. Plus it would be a very unique place to operate from. This is done a lot from historic places , ships etc. Just a random thought i thought i would throw out there. I doubt those in charge of her would permit it but it would be a neat experience and might gain some attention.

Actually, I do not know who the prospective buyer is. That information wasn't shared with me. I've not heard if the visit has taken place yet, either. Like you, I hope that the prospective buyer does show enough interest to purchase the boat and give it the love it needs.

Time is running out for the GOLDENROD.

I contacted two former owners of the showboat from the 1960's and 70's. While neither had heard anything about a "prospective buyer", both said that, if something isn't done soon with the rapidly deteriorating 1909 built showboat, they held out little hope for the venerable vessel surviving much longer.

Is it still tied up in the courts?

According to the listing at Wikipedia (I know most of you know more about this situation than me, so please make corrections here as necessary).

"Sale

When no one offered to buy it, the council decided to give it away. Four groups submitted proposals, and the council chose Lewis and Clark Landing, a firm headed by John Schwarz. The boat was moved to storage near the Poplar Street Bridge in downtown St. Louis. Later it was moved to Kampsville, Illinois.
Schwarz’ original intention was to place the boat into a protective basin to be constructed near her mooring location, but the plan never happened. The boat was, instead, towed to a mooring spot next to the tugboat ‘America’, which was owned by Shelia Prokuski and Randy Newingham.

Uncertain future

In 2006, a civil suit was filed against Schwarz in an attempt to collect $24,000 in mooring fees owed to Prokuski. The case was supposed to have been settled, with Schwarz retaining ownership of the Goldenrod while he found new mooring for the boat. Schwarz did not move the boat, and it was sold at a sheriff’s auction in October 2007. Since there were no other bids on her, Prokuski bought her for $5,000.
As of January 15, 2008, the showboat‘s future was still uncertain. It remains moored in Calhoun County and mired in court as questions remain about the legality of the sale. The judge, Richard Greenleaf, said the proper paperwork had not been filed for the auction, so he has not signed off on the sale.
The couple want to sell the Goldenrod, but have to wait until the title clears. Though it has been reported they will sell the historic boat for scrap, Newingham has denied this."

Does anybody know if the court action has been settled regarding the Mooring fees and the sale of the vessel? Is it available for sale should a prospective buyer come along?

I'm tied up with the Mamie S. Barrett project right now but I am starting to formulate a basic idea that could involve the Goldenrod, if I work out some of the kinks and find the financing.

I just saw this video clip in youtube from 1986 Jazz Fest aboard the Goldenrod.

‪Saint Louis Ragtimers - "That Sentimental Gentleman From Georgia"‬‏ - YouTube

Thanks

Thanks for sharing that. It brings back good memories of sitting in the second deck lounge on the GOLDENROD listening to the Ragtimers. The gentleman on the tuba is Don Franz, who subbed on the DQ in the 1970s, and Trevor Tichenor is on the piano. One spring I took a couple of friends to St. Louis and we went to the Saturday night performance. During the break, Don came over and gave us a behind the scenes tour of the boat. I wish somehow it could be saved - because it has no power/machinery, it shouldn't be as expensive to rehab as a self-propelled vessel, I'd think.