Help with this boat

Yes, your photo is of the LADY MIM, built by Dubuque Boat & Boiler Co. in 1970 for Boats Unlimited, E. Dubuque, IL. Sold in 1972 and renamed COMMODORE. Sold in 1974 to Belle Carol Riverboats, Nashville, and renamed CAPTAIN ANN.

I'm not sure if this is the same boat that is now the BAMA BELLE operating on the Black Warrior River. But it sure looks like the same boat. Seems to me Dubuque built a couple of boats on this same design. I lose track of the CAPTAIN ANN between 1985 and 2002... Maybe someone else has more info on it (Travis?, Aaron?).

Kevin and Steve,

Yes, this is the BAMA BELLE, now in Tuscaloosa, AL. The CAPTAIN ANN was in Florida for a short time as the EMERALD QUEEN. She came to Tuscaloosa in 2005 and has operated there every since. Here is her web address .... Bama Belle

It is funny how in this picture as the LADY MIM she does not have the Dubuque-built propensity to sit squat in the stern. As they age, all the Dubuque boats do this for some reason. It has caused many of the faux-sternwheelers to have their faux paddlewheel removed and the well hulled over (TUNICA QUEEN/SPIRIT OF JEFFERSON). If you look at pictures of many of them out of the yard, they sit perfectly...in pictures taken about 5 years later, they are squatting down in the stern.

Here are a few pictures of the BAMA BELLE at Tuscaloosa, AL in fall of 2007 taken while the DELTA QUEEN was down there for a visit.

Travis

Here are a few more of the BAMA BELLE for you to peruse. She is kinda unique as Dubuque built boats go, as she has a double wheel, chain driven which can be operated with either wheel going in either direction at any time. She is very maneuverable because of this. She can pretty much turn in her own length.

Here are the last of these pictures of the BAMA BELLE. A couple of interesting things to note about her...the design is a modification of the design used for the JONATHAN PADELFORD and the BORDER STAR. All of these boats had the same basic architecture. They all three had the same stacks and spreader bar, they all had the same basic pilothouse (although all three had the door(s) to the pilothouse in different locations). The LADY MIM was scow bowed, the other two were model bows. The LADY MIM was broader of beam where the other two were steamboat perfect long and lean. The other two had hydraulic rams operating the paddlewheel with traditional pitmans...the LADY MIM used chains.

I am sure there were more of these double wheeled Dubuque-built boats...anyone want to chime in with names and details? One of these days we need to compile a listing of all the Dubuque-built boats on this site with pictures and a where are they now section!

Thanks for the extra info Travis! Yes, a Dubuque-built boat listing would be great. The story of that boatyard would make a nice book!

Steve,

I posted about as comprehensive a list of the Dubuque-built boats as I could come up with. Thanks to old Inland River Records and websites, I did my best. However, about 5 of the entries have disappeared into a second page I don't seem to be able to access. I wish I had done this in a document form and posted it instead of typing the whole thing in here. I fear some of the research may be lost. You can find my list in the Blogs section. Let me know what you think.

Please...anyone with ANY information or photos of the boats to share, feel free to add to what I have done and lets update this to keep track of these precious vessels as best as we can! I welcome any ideas, information, or suggestions! It is about preserving the information...not who did it!

Travis

Thanks for the help, I was sure I was right, but, had to be sure. Travis the Dubuque Boats blog is great. It would be nice to see them all running!

Travis,

Your second page of the DBBCo blog seems to have vanished into cyberspace, as I attempted to post a comment and it, too, disappeared along with the remainder of your entries. I'll attempt to repost my few comments here.

Your project of compiling a comprehensive listing of DBBCo-built excursion boats is a wonderful idea. I heartily commend you for that and for your hard work in gathering this information in one place. Also, my sincere thanks and support in your plans to offer the results of this research to the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque, and especially for your intention of submitting it to the REFLECTOR for possible publication in the magazine.

One minor addition/revision to your introductory comments. The company president at the time they began building this modern excursion boat fleet was Henry Barr "Hank" Miller. He had married Doris Davenport, daughter of previous company president Ira Davenport. I think Hank Miller died in the spring or summer of 1970 and was succeeded by Capt. Dennis Trone until the company closed its doors in 1972.

Best of luck with your project! Please keep me posted on its progress.

Travis Vasconcelos;24213 wrote: Steve,

I posted about as comprehensive a list of the Dubuque-built boats as I could come up with. Thanks to old Inland River Records and websites, I did my best. However, about 5 of the entries have disappeared into a second page I don't seem to be able to access. I wish I had done this in a document form and posted it instead of typing the whole thing in here. I fear some of the research may be lost. You can find my list in the Blogs section. Let me know what you think.

Please...anyone with ANY information or photos of the boats to share, feel free to add to what I have done and lets update this to keep track of these precious vessels as best as we can! I welcome any ideas, information, or suggestions! It is about preserving the information...not who did it!

Travis

Travis, David, others,

Did the second page contain information on the DON ROB'T also built by DBBC. I'll see if I can dig up information on her as well once I get home.

All this information is priceless and should be put into booklet form complete with pictures.

Thanks Travis for your digging on this. Really interesting stuff.

Aaron

Aaron,

After the first 5 on the second page stopped showing up, I stopped entering them. The DON ROB'T was gonna be in the listing.

I have pictures of a lot of them and wanted to post them with their descriptions...but I couldn't find a way to do it.

Once I get this figured out, it will be posted on here for reference. I will also submit it to the S&D and the National Mississippi River Museum. Perhaps one or both will want to use it for publication.

I just figured, after I issued the challenge to do it on Friday, I should just buck up and get it started. I want people to fill in the blanks, cause I am far from perfect! I'll bet, somewhere in Dubuque, there is a comprehensive file of pictures of all the excursion boats as they were delivered. Perhaps the museum has it? That would be the set of pictures to go with this list!

Travis

Travis, I think Mr. Tschiggfrie was the recipient of those files. I cannot remember if he told me he donated them to the museum in Dubuque or not, but he should be able to access them.

Bob,

If he reads this and was, perhaps he will share. I sure hope so!

Travis