RIP BECKY THATCHER

Becky Thatcher sinking

This is indeed a sad thing that has happened. I am disappointed that the company who had the Becky Thatcher for sale had such a high price on it....I saw the listing on eBay several times. When I would pass the boat while on board the Valley Gem, I often thought that the Becky Thatcher would end up sinking at the dock. I had hoped that someone would bauy the bought and re-open the eatery and theater. My opinion is that if the company saling the boat would have been more reasonable in the price, she would have sold sooner and restored so that others could enjoy this wonderful piece of history. It is a sad thing that she has slipped into history and her time ended in such an unfortunate way.

Becky is my namesake.

Thank you all for being so loving and concerned about this grand old gal. It was my friend that got the first pictures that showed up in all the papers after we heard the Becky was in trouble. I was the first "hostess" on the boat back when she originally came to Marietta and the resteraunt was ran by the Hotel Lafayette. As part of my job, I also was part of the original clean up crew that got her into shape. When she came here from St Louis, alot of the last nights dinner service was stilll in the kitchen...She was a mess and with much love, we whipped her back into shape. After I left the boat, many evenings were still spent setting on her front deck watching the river and enjoying the company of friends. I have been on every square inch of that old girl and it makes me sick at my stomach to think of the pieces of history that are being lost as we read this. Though there were many cosmetic changes to her over the years, there were also many original pieces of this and that still remaining. A latch, a bell, a window frame, a metal cover for this or that. It sickened me we I met Mr Levin the first time because it was apparent then that his interest in her was totally financial and not coming from a place of love of the river or the grand dams of the river. That judgement became more apparent as he owned her over the last few years. I read the one lady's comment that she never thought she would hear herself say something like she did about a riverboat. I understand that completely and thought the same myself. My hears desire would be to see the pilots house on a river bank for all to enjoy, or the paddle wheel, but it will not be so. To that end, I don't want him to profit from her one single cent. Let her go quickly please and if it is in a million pieces, please make them small enough that Mr Levin can't buy dinner on her demise.
Thank you again to all of you that loved her.

On the DQ

Go here:

Willie and Buster's Whirlwind Tour of the World - The Seventies

Becky not forced.

Steve,
I agree with all you are saying about the snow load and yes, the Becky has weathered some like and same deep snows while she was in Marietta. Back in 86,92,98 we had snows as deep as what Pittsburgh got recently.
I am though somewhat disturbed by your closing statement. While I agree that it was because no one was attending to her that perhaps she fell to this fate. I do take exception to the statement that she was "forced" out of Marietta.
Mr Levin did not pay rent for dock space. Mr Levin did not pay taxes owed. The city tried to work with him for many many months before starting the legal proceedings. He was ordered to pay or have her moved off city property. No one said take her away. He was not even against a deadline as a final date had not yet been set. The day he moved her, he had his lawyer on the phone constantly...while arguing with the city officials. Because they were still amid legal court proceedings, the city even had police there documenting all the activity.
Mr Levin had not been to Marietta for months prior to that day. He made a big show about putting a piece of plywood into a broken window on her second deck while leaving 5 other windows broken out. That window was near where the majority of people were watching.
I met him several times and all he was interested in was selling her from the start whether it was for scrap or not. His comment was "I just want my money back"
So please be kind when you speak of Marietta because we loved the old gal. Once she became privately owned, it was out of our hands.

The Dows sure have a nice collection of Mississippi River steamboat whistles. The last time I was on the MINNIE HA HA she was blowing the whistle from the U.S.A.C.O.E.'s IROQUOIS.

No, I wasn't speaking against Marietta at all. As you say, the reason she had to go was because of her owner... (often email, and forums like these, are difficult for conveying 100% of what is meant, without some misinterpretation!)

You are so correct and glad you understand. It breaks our hearts to have her end this way. As always, you have a few in town that would speak out against anything, just becauese they can. Usually those people were ones that had never even set foot on her. You are so right though, her demise rest squarly on the shoulders of someone that bought her for all the wrong reasons. I read on this forum that several would like to see her pilot house and other pieces in a museum. I can assure you, without big open pocketbooks, Mr Levin would probably never consider that an option. Thank you all for loving this grand old gal.

Thanks, Keith. I always hesitate to come on here and promote our videos because I don't want to "spam". "Iron Crowns & Paddlewheels" was actually produced by Bill Warrick and includes much of his own collection of steamboat film, some early newsreel footage and some video pieces he did as a TV reporter. Bill started shooting 16mm film of steamboats in the 1950's. All I did was add a little music, a little video and release it on DVD and VHS.
-Jim Herron

Frank,
That whistle is still on the stack, but we haven't blown it for a couple years now. Dad felt that it was just too high-pitched and screechy. We still blow the other two on a regular basis. There's a video I posted on youtube under the name of "Steam Whistle on the Minne Ha Ha" showing the better-sounding (in my opinion), but not primarily-used, whistle. Jim Herron might like it too. From what I'm told, it came off an old steam locomotive.

Bubba: It was NOT a pretty sound at all! I was on the DQ at the time it was used, down on the Lower Mississippi -- and I was very happy when the original whistle, with its hauntingly beautiful and melodious sound, was restored! Capt. Wagner likened the sound of the MISSISSIPPI whistle to that of a "constipated elephant." Somewhere, I have a tape, sent to me long ago by the late Capt. Bill Tippitt, who was a pilot on the Str. MISSISSIPPI, of head deckhand Joe Coleman "singing" the leadline calls. Every now and then, there's a blast of the whistle and it's that same, not-very-pretty sound!

The MISSISSIPPI wore many whistles throughout her career with the Army Corps of Engineers. Her longtime master, Capt. David M. Cook, liked to experiment with different "tooters" and it's obvious from looking at pictures that the boat carried a number of voices.

Aside from the whistle, the roof bell that has served on ALL the Steamers MISSISSIPPI, the first diesel successor, and the current vessel (Number 5) operated by the Army Corps of Engineers, can still be heard ringing on the river!

Thanks, Bubba, that was 2002 that I was up at Lake George, and, yes, I remember it not being the most pleasing of whistles on the MINNIE. As for the MISSISSIPPI's whistle, it was nicely polished brass and shone in the New York sun.

Hopefully, I'll be able to find my way to Lake George again soon and hear the collection of whistles again. I also would like to take the "TI" on one of her all day trips.

Well, C'mon up! We'd love to have ya here. And the 'TI' was scrapped a long time ago (1993). I think you're thinking of the MOHICAN. She still does the all-day trips, but only two mornings a week instead of every morning during the summer.

Keith, it's nice to hear that they kept something original going through the succession of MISSISIPPI's. Also, that it's still being used today is another good thing. It's an important part of the boat that won't soon be part of some scrapyard along with the rest of her... that's at least one part of good news from this tragedy!

Well, egg on my face, you're right! I can even picture in my mind the 1950's streamlined looks of the "TI" and the graceful sheer lines and single stack of the 1900's MOHICAN. Atleast I knew you had a "TI" up there too and not just over at the the Shelburne Museum.

Yeah, the 'TI' we have now is our 40-foot, self-propelled barge that we use mainly as a platform for the weekly fireworks shoots during the summer.

Becky thatcher

I wish becky could be saved it has allways been one of my favourites.

Becky Thatcher

Excellent article Requiem For The Becky by Keith Norrington Howard Steamboat Museum with picture showing Becky after sinking giving entire history of the Becky well written an good reading. Carole Matthews of Pompano Beach Fl 33064 She sank for last time in Feb 2010 after about 85 year career.