"Streckfus Stuff"

Keith,

Here's one more view of the ADMIRAL calliope. This one appeared on a postcard (sold by Streckfus Strs., I think) and is most likely dated ca. 1950s, judging by the "cool" appearance of people's dress.

Thanks Dave! Last night I found a few more Streckfus items I thought would be of interest. The first view is of Harold Nienkemper playing the ADMIRAL calliope in 1963. The second image shows Capt. Don Summers and ADMIRAL crew members removing bucket planks from one of the sidewheels at the end of the 1970 season. Capt. Bill Carroll once told me that they removed the buckets that were in the water on each wheel to prevent damage from ice and debris in the river during the winter. The third picture is a good comparison shot of the PRESIDENT and ADMIRAL, taken in 1991.

the PREZ and ADMIRAL

That's a great shot of both boats side by side. Too bad it wasn't taken before the ADMIRAL's Six Flags alterations to the top deck. I rode the ADMIRAL as a kid, and when I was going to NOLA in 1974 for a reading teachers' convention, I of course was planning to ride the PRESIDENT. My dad, who had ridden her during her UMR tramping days, told me she'd remind me of the ADMIRAL. She did indeed, the same basic deck plans only on a smaller scale. Its hard to imagine the PREZ as being on a smaller scale to anything, but she was. When the PREZ first returned to St.Louis in 1985 for the summer season, she accidentally nosed into the ADMIRAL, with no damage done, but it made for a cute story in the papers about nudging big sister, or something to that effect.
With this picture being taken in 1991, that means the PREZ was undergoing final preparations to come up here as the first riverboat casino. She arrived here March 28, I believe, and went into business on April 1.

Keith and Dave thanks for the great photos especially the 2 boats together Keith. I've ridden both boats when they were still steam but I have never seen them together until that photo.

PREZ and ADMIRAL together

These can't match the side by side that Keith posted, but here are a couple more shots which have both the PRESIDENT and ADMIRAL in them.
1) after the 1938 season on the St. Louis levee. 3 generations of Streckfi:
the WASHINGTON is about to be dismantled, the ADMIRAL is being built, and the PREZ is in operation below the Eads Bridge.
2) the ADMIRAL passing, taken from the PREZ
3) some hat/coat check tags from both boats.

Thanks Judy, those are good shots. I appreciate that. Having rode those 2 more than a few times I have a special place in my heart for them.

For whatever it is worth....

I bought this negative a few months ago, I guess I own the rights, I don't know. Hope so. Anyway, I think this was taken late 50s or early 60s.

The other one is at night.....I do not own the rights on this one....do not
know if it is reserved or not. If it is, please advise me....I would like to get a print of this one. Looks as if it is time lapse exposed. A great shot.

If someone else owns this and retains rights please advise and I will have it removed.

S. McMullen

Mr. McMullen, that second photo really brings back some memories. Saturday night dance cruise, loading 4000 passengers ( or more ), spotlight shining on the Eads Bridge pier, Bob Kuban ready to rock and roll, and plenty of fried chicken and buckets of beer to be purchased

Night Time Scene

Yah, I would bet that was afterwards, when the crowd disembarked. Saturday nights was pretty wild there.....I remember I would be on the top deck when the vessel would turn downstream and as it caught the wind the engineers cut the boilers back causing oily black smoke to billow from the funnels, leaving those people at the stern of the lido deck with a good dose of stack gas..........funny.