Two great pics at Vicksburg

Great pics, Jim! The Vicksburg depot shown here was built in 1904. I'm thinking the best way to date these is to look up the FALLS CITY and PEERLESS and see when they operated. Many things visible here are still standing, some still thriving, in Vicksburg.

HAPPY MARDI GRAS EVERYONE!

What photos! I just checked the Bible and Capt. Way states that the FALLS CITY left the Kentucky River trade for Vicksburg in 1908 and the new looking ALICE B. MILLER, in the second photo, and PEERLESS were both renamed that in 1908. My guess is that these portraits of early 20th century life were taken in 1908 or early 1909.

I have always liked the FALLS CITY. She was built in Cincinnati around the time the QUEEN CITY and first ISLAND QUEEN were. All three had netted wire railings and beautiful sheer. I did notice that when the FALLS CITY went south her knowledge box was raised up to the texas roof. While on the Kentucky River the pilot house was out forward of the texas on the skylight roof.

Thanks for posting these! The small sternwheel gasboats LITTLE WABASH and CHARLIE H also caught my eye.

The two images are part of an excellent series of Vicksburg waterfront scenes featuring quite a number of riverboats of all sizes and descriptions. I featured the FALLS CITY in my Old Boat Column in The Waterways Journal, issue of November 26, 2012. Until I researched her history I never realized she was plagued with many accidents, crew members falling overboard and drowning, etc. Later on I did a column entitled Yazoo River Gals featuring the ALICE MILLER and MARY MILLER. Now that I'm well into my third year of doing the weekly OBC, it's hard to remember WHAT boats and people I have written about! Of course, there's the issue of getting older too!

Memory tells me that I read somewhere the RR station in the photo was built in 1909.

I've always thought it would be nice if the WJ could print an Index of the OBC column topics, and/or compile the columns into book form somehow. Would no doubt be a huge undertaking, but I'm sure they would sell a few.

*Great 1901 Picture of Visckburg*
Steamboating colleagues:
Again, thanks to Jim Herron and his ever keen eye in finding, forwarding these great period SHORPY photos--really done by the company in Detroit. No doubt this shot somehow cleaned up, possibly digitized for crystal clear viewing close to a Daugere shot where the eye looks into infinity. Great history from Bob, Keith, Frank, Steve and Jim. Hard to believe 1909 just 44 years after the end of the Civil War.

But look again and again and you'll see far more going in this panorama than first meets the eye. People, carriages, wagons, animals, windows open, streets with no sign of an automobile and all the COKE signs painted on the walls. I really like the STEAM BOAT EXCHANGE SALOON thinking that would be a great name to apply even today. Possibly late fall, winter or even very early spring with no trees in bloom and a strong breeze from the north on a bright, sunny southern day. Something going to happen on the FALLS CITY with steam up. Look close at her Texas deck with people sitting outside in the sun taking it all in. The ALICE B. Miller all pristine looks quiet with laundry done by the chambermaids in a tub and washboard, no doubt, hanging out, bed clothes draped over open cabin windows for daily 'airing' before being made up. The rail station and the train cars interesting. And note how close most to all of those shore buildings are within mere feet of the river. Something also happening with the one building appearing to be in the stages of demolition. I could go on and on but won't at this point. Great photo, Jim, and keep them coming.

R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati.