Topic starter
05/12/2007 12:34 pm
The annual Christmas Open House at the Howard Steamboat Museum & Mansion will be on Sunday, December 9th from 1:00 until 3:00 PM. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be in the parlor, with free photos taken with Santa. Punch and cookies will be served in the dining room. Dr. Carl Kramer and his wife, Mary Kagin Kramer, will be signing their new book, This Place We Call Home, A History of Clark County, Indiana. The gift shop is well stocked with many "steamboaty" items, great river books and prints -- including some from our recent art exhibit featuring the works of Harlan Hubbard.
Admission is FREE, but donations to benefit the museum are gratefully accepted. The museum is located at 1101 East Market Street in Jeffersonville, Indiana, opposite Jeffboat. The telephone number is 812-283-3728 and the website address is www.steamboatmuseum.org. Take a look at photos from recent museum events and news of upcoming ones! The museum will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2008. Mrs. Loretta Howard opened the doors to the public for the first time on May 18, 1958, a date which coincides with our 2008 spring festival.
Sadly missing at this year's holiday open house will be The Big Muddy String Band, now that Capt. Bill and Becky Ray have returned to their native Missouri. The band has been a favorite at many museum functions in recent years and we have greatly appreciated their donation of time and talent. Jo Ann Schoen plans to be on deck, stationed at the door, with her SAVE THE DELTA QUEEN petitions.
A recent and generous donation to the museum collection is a fine model of the towboat SPRAGUE. Mr. Keenon Coleman, a longtime friend and supporter of the museum, built the model from plans drawn by Capt. Alan Bates and we are delighted to have it. Keenon has also favored us with models of BRYANT'S SHOWBOAT and the towboat VALLEY BELLE -- and he tells me that soon to arrive is a model he constructed of the GORDON C. GREENE. This will go nicely with the great model of the CAPE GIRARDEAU that Franz built and brought all the way from Munich for display at the museum. We are very appreciative of these excellent models and heartily thank the builders/donors for selecting the Howard Museum for their display.
Here are several photos taken on Saturday, November 17th when the model (which has a nice glass case) "landed" at her new home. In the first image, the model arrives safely in the arms of Kenny Howe, museum board member and steamboat engineer extraordinaire. In the second photo, left to right, are yours truly, Jim Reising, Kenny Howe and Keenon Coleman.
Y'all come see us -- and Happy Holidays!
Curator Keith
05/12/2007 1:41 pm
There might even be some Steamboat Fudge to munch on Sunday for the Open House.
Topic starter
10/12/2007 1:50 pm
Despite the heavy rains that made for a very soggy Sunday, we had a great attendance for the open house yesterday. Lots of parents brought their little ones to visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, the gift shop did a brisk business and the homemade cookies and other refreshments made the dining room a popular place! The old mansion looked very festive all decked out in Christmas finery.
It's always great to have "river folk" visit and it was a pleasure to meet Fred Carmichael, formerly of the DQSB Company and a veteran towboater. Also visiting were Capt. Jim and Annie Blum, Keith Baylor and son Alex (who was celebrating his fifth birthday) and, of course, the faithful stalwarts Travis Vasconcelos, James Hall and Jo Ann Schoen, who collected signatures on SAVE THE DQ petitions and brought her delicious fudge to share. Later, it was nice to gather by the river for a leisurely dinner at Kingfish Restaurant, the Ohio as smooth as a mirror last night and beautfully reflecting the lights of the Louisville skyline with the BELLE prominently in view and aglow in lights.
I set up a one day display featuring a large framed watercolor by John Junger (from my collection) of the sinking of the RIVER QUEEN, in observance of the 40th anniversary of the sinking -- and the fact that she, as the CAPE GIRARDEAU, was the LAST packet built at the Howard Shipyard. The display was placed next to the fine model of the CAPE GIRARADEAU that Franz built and attracted a lot of attention.
Thanks to ALL who participated yesterday! For those interested, there's still time to purchase steamboaty items at the gift shop before Christmas. Visit our website at Howard Steamboat Museum - Home Page for holiday hours, etc.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Curator Keith
10/12/2007 6:36 pm
I was so sorry that I could not attend--I so enjoyed the open house last year! But I'm sure Travis sent my greetings. I'm glad to see he survived his trip down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers! Looks like it was a fine time.
Topic starter
10/12/2007 7:35 pm
We certainly missed you Mary -- and hope to see you at upcoming museum events when your schedule permits!
Keep up steam!
10/12/2007 9:39 pm
Mary,
We missed you as well...next year I hope we can both be there again! By the way...we didn't make the Mississippi as planned...but, no one died and all went well! As a matter of fact as we left I quoted Capt Kevin Mullen when I said "we cheated death one more time"!
~Travis~
Topic starter
11/12/2007 12:38 pm
Here are a few photos, taken at the museum on Sunday, by Travis Vasconcelos, "The Wizard of the Whistles"! Thanks!
