Steamboat interests

It appears that the overwhelming response speaks for it self!

I will continue with my interest, focus and contributions on Morey, Fitch, Rumsey, Stephens and Fulton as I really enjoy History.

Pete: The overwhelming interest here is the Ohio and Mississippi River systems (known on the east coast as "western rivers". That is what they know about, lived with and post about. I know the acute frustration of posting something of interest to me and getting NO response here whatsoever...even though I thought they should be interseted. Even though it involved one of "their" rivers, a history-making event and a steamboat. I suspect that you are seeing more lack of knowledge (plenty of that) than lack of interest. I am interested (being a Kentuckian) in Fitch and some of the side wheelers used "down east" were impressive and handsome boats indeed! Mebbe this will smoke out some interest, but don't expect to see much information from here. Cap'n Walnut

Pete, I have an interest in the Hudson River steamboats and others on the east coast including the Potomac River, (I lived in the Washington DC area for 39 years) the Chesapeake Bay and all the way down to Fla. I have two uncompleted models of East coast boats, one of the Mt. Washington and another of the Armenia. I've also researched and built a model of the little Fla. sternwheeler Thos. A. Edison. I'm also interested in the Midwest (Western Rivers) and West Coast steamboats. What I find really fascinating is to compare the different types of steamboats used in North America and how they were designed to operate in their various environments. Take a look at my plans catalog, Paddlewheels and Props, Paddlewheels and Props - Riverboat and Tugboat Plans for Model Builders

I'm sure there are others on this site that have similar interests. They probably just haven't spoken up yet.

Pete,
Don't feel all alone. While I post about the DQ, remember she originally was a California boat--in fact, when she first arrived on the Mississippi, some thought she'd never make it, wheel too narrow, freeboard too high! Being out here in CA, I am still interested in the Sacramento boats--in fact, I've been asked to do a program on them for the local Historical society--which means I have do do more research!!!
S'
David D.
PS just 'cause we don't respond, doesn't mean we aren't reading the posts and enjoying them!

Pete, I'd be interested in anything you have on the Hudson River Day Line boats.

Pete, my inland waterways/boat interest started as a very small child, however I'm also a Great Lakes boat & water fan, having a direct ancestral link to the Great Lakes dating back over 160 years. The Great Lakes has a great following over on Boatnerd.com with lots of information being shared about lakers & alike...

Pete Baker;22448 wrote: This may be a rhetorical question but I need to ask.

Preface:I didn't become interested in Steamboating until I was 62, 5 years ago. It was caused by events leading up to the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Celebration last year.

I have a general interest in steamboats. However my particular interests lies with Robert Fulton and those before him. For obvious reasons my secondary interest lies with those boats that were on the Hudson River. I live in the Mid-Hudson Valley.

Many of you have a broad interest and knowledge of the "Mississippi Riverboats".

My question(s) is: Are there any other members who have an area of focus similar to mine? Is there anyone interested in the Eastern sidewheelers and the ocean going variety?

My interest in stern wheel boats comes from growing up in Louisville, Ky where I was exposed to them more or less continually from as far back as I remember. I never experienced the Hudson River boats other than in films I've seen. They are to be admired for they were sleek and fast but for me, it takes that big ol' stern wheel to get me active.

I first set foot on the DQ in the late '40's when my grandmother took me aboard on one of the public visitation stops they made at Louisville but I didn't take a cruise until about 55 years later. About all I remembered about the interior was that beautiful staircase. But, as they say, one step aboard and she has you hooked. So it was, and is, with me. Yes, she's a Western boat but she's got more history on the Mississippi and Ohio than she ever did out west.

And the Belle of Louisville, well, I rode her many times as the Avalon when she called at Louisville. What can I say? She's my home town boat and I ride her whenever I come back to Louisville, even if it's just a 2 hour cruise. How better else to spend an afternoon?

I also like the side wheelers that operate out of Dresden, Germany and rode one again in May. Imagine a boat over 100 years old powered by an engine built in the 1860's!
Not to be missed If you are ever there and if you are within a day's journey of getting there, they are a MUST DO!

-Jim Herron

Yes, we tend to get regionalized. For me, if it floats, or used to float, it is of interest. If it is historic, even more interesting. It's also interesting to know the future of the marine industry. There are some pretty wild things on the drawing boards (computers).

Thanks to all who have taken the time to respond. I have read each of your messages. I will read again and try to answer each of you.

As I have indicated I am relatively new to steamboating. Although I am able to pick up bits and pieces of general information from the many knowledgeable posts I was hoping to find members who were more interested in the historical aspects of steamboats, pre Westen River.

My grandfather was involved with the Amoskeag cotton mills in Manchester, NH. Early on they were power by big old steam engines. Later on steam locomotives and fire equipment was manufactured at Amoskeag. Turret componets for the ironclad stemboat the Monitor were fabricated at Amoskeag. These facts all contributed to my interest in history. Getting involved with the Fulton Group back in 2005 was a natural. That group disbanned but I continued with my interest and joined STEAMBOATS.

Thanks again. More later...

Pete

Tom,

I've attached links to a Fitch Museum. They appear to be a start-up group. I have also attached links to the Rumseian Society in Shepherdstown, WV and the Hudson River Maritime Museum.

I'm a member of the Rumseians and am good friends of the president, Nick Blanton. I'm unofficially involved with HRMM. I put my oars in the water there and hope to do some behind the seems volunteer work when I retire next year.

John Fitch Steamboat Museum

jamesrumsey.com: home

Home HRMM

My priorities of interest are Fulton, Rumsey, Fitch and others. I'd like to find out more about Samuel Morey. He designed a steamboat that some say Fulton copied features from. Fitch & Rumsey both had designs that were similar to one of Ben Franklin, jet propelled.

I know a little about a lot but am by no means an expert on Steamboats in the East. I'm in the learning mode.

Thanks for your comments.

prb

Hi John,

I admire both your knowledge and your modeling. I know a little bit about the old Mt. Washington the burned at the Weirs dock. I think that I mentioned previously that my grandfather helped weld the Cateaugay back together when it became the Mount II. I have cruised Lake Winnepesaukee a half dozen time. The most recent was a dinner cruise last year. Originally a steamboat she lost her engine to the war efforts in the early 1940's. Diesel engines were in stalled in 1946. They were in service until this past Winter when they wer replaced with smaller, more powerful "green" diesel engines. Here's a video link on the engines.

From what I understand they had to add about 32 tons of ballast to make up for the difference in weight of the old vs the new engines.

I know of the Armenia from a picture and my memory it looked very similar to the original Mt. Washington. Like old buildings the old boats had character.

Thanks again

Prb

Day Line - Hudson River

Good morning Bob,

I'm not an expert so here are a couple of links. One is for a book on the Day lines the other is to the Hudson River Maritime Museum. They have a section on the Day line. They are located on the Ronout Creek in Kingston, NY. The Roudout feeds into the Hudson. In the hey days of steamboats the Rondout was a major port. It was home to Cornell Steamboat and others.

Cornell Steamboat Company Exhibit Poster 1

When we first moved to the area 30+ years ago we were told to stay away from the area because it wasn't safe. It has done a 180° and is now a very appealing place to relax and dine.

Pete

Amazon.com: Hudson River Day Line;: The story of a great American…

Steamboats

Pete--just read your message today. As a historian, I'm VERY interested in the evolution of the steamboat--so love the stories of all the people you mention. I have tons of books on how the steamboat evolved. My dad got me interested in steamboats, and his interest came from watching (and riding) the Hudson River Dayliners when he would visit his grandfather in Garnerville, NY. I admit, I know more about the MS/OH boats, but I have books on steamboats--and steamships-- from around the world.

Lexie,

There certainly are some wild designs out there and in the works. I don't find them as aethetically pleasing as the historical boats. I do, however, have an interest. I am a CAD designer by profession. I find what the naval architects are doing on the computers fascinating. Sadly what I design in CAD is more straight forward. They are pushing the limits of the day!

I have been using CAD to develop a 3D model of the North River of Clermont. The focus of what I am doing is on the engine/paddlewheel section of the boat for a DC motor driven display. I've posted several CAD renderings and photos of the model in previous messages. If you search the message board for "FULTON" you'll probably find most of my posts. I have more info if you or others would like to share.

Thanks for your comment.

Pete

Hi Mary,

I am mostly interested in the Northeast. That's what I know a little bit about. As for riding on steamboats I have only been on two, one on Lake George in NY the other on the connecticut River out of Essex. I have had friends with steam launches with who I have chugged up and down the river.

I have a very limited collection of books mostly limited to Fulton and his contemporaries. The books images and stories that I have been able to collect have provided me with enough information to create a realatively accurate CAD model of the Fulton boat mentioned elseware. It's been a big challenge and a lot of fun.

I'll have to Google "Garnerville". I'm not familiar with the name. I live in the Catskill Mountains about 10 miles West of the Hudson in the Kingston, NY area.

Thanks for your post.

Pete

It was the sound of the Delta Queen's steam whistle and calliope that first made me take notice of steamboats in general. I grew up in the Greater Cincinnati area during the 50s and 60s and had the privilege of hearing this sound on various occasions. It was like no other sound I had ever heard before and I was determined to find its source. Its source turned out to be the Delta Queen, which I discovered during the 60s.

With the debut of the Mississippi Queen in 1976 I was among the first in line to briefly board her at the Cincinnati Public Landing for a grand tour of the newly built steamboat. By then I was hooked. I took my wife and son to several of the Tall Stacks celebrations during the late 80s through the early 2000s.

I was particularly attracted to the few whistles occasionally blown on the Anna Marie barge on the KY shore. I was determined to find out who was behind it and contact them. I even tried to arrange for a whistle blow at Tall Stacks with our Steam Whistles group members in 2003 through the Tall Stacks Committee. The committee never so much as wrote me back. I suppose they were more interested in booking the bands than in promoting the voice of the steamboat. I also noticed less emphasis on the Anna Marie barge and her whistles as the years progressed and more on the performing acts.

I became disappointed and disillusioned during Tall Stacks 2006 to see that it was becoming more of a rock festival than the celebration of riverboats as originally intended.

Pete, Garnerville is south of West Point--my grandfather graduated from there, and he and my grandmother a both buried there. It's near Haverstraw. I have a framed 1884 map of the town (a line drawing), including the river--and there is a steamboat in the river!

Festival vs Celebration

Richard Weisenberger;22638 wrote:
I became disappointed and disillusioned during Tall Stacks 2006 to see that it was becoming more of a rock festival than the celebration of riverboats as originally intended.

Richard,

It's our misplaced society in gerneral. Everything eventually points towards $$$. A straight "Tall Stacks" draws a focus group. A rock festival draws infinitely more people. Gate fees are higher, sales are considerably higher with all of the junk being sold. Most youth of today don't now how to appreciate things from the past. They have to be entertained.

On the money issue... Remember when the Christmas Season was between Thanksgiving and Dec 25th? Now the retailers start their Christmas, sorry Holiday sales, from the end of September/early October. Sad!

Pete

Mary,

Thanks

My wife and I enjoy leaisuely drives along back roads. We have driven both sides of the Hudson from its source to its effluent. We frequenty drive down RT 9W to West Point for visits and beyond. It's a nice drive in the Fall with Storm King highway and Bear Mountain. I remember driving through Haverstraw but don't recall seeing signs for Garnerville, but then I wasn't looking for it. Next time we're down that way I have to check.

A couple of years ago we attend a Pete Seeger Clearwater festival at Croton-on-Hudson Park. I didn't realize that it was across the river from Haverstraw until I looked for Garnerville.

PBS did a nifty special not all that long ago for Pete Seger's Birthday (90th maybe?) which was a real joy to watch; the "stage" being shaped like a sailing vessel, Clearwater of course.

Don't give in to the PC folks Pete, there are some of us who still wish every Post Office Employee "Merry Christmas" during the Appropriate Season and play "Christmas Music" through 06 January! No happy holidays from this house--it is what it IS.

Only made one trip on the Alexander Hamilton (1960 I believe) up bound to West Point. Had the distinct pleasure some years ago to meet the author of The Hudson River Day Line--while he was a passenger on the Str. Delta Queen.