Welcome to the Steamboats.com Virtual Museum. We have posted hundreds of steamboat photos donated from private collections, along with other interesting exhibits. If you want to research steamboat history, click here to go to our research section.

Steamboat Photos   |   Delta Queen, Delta King Collection   |   Save the Delta Queen Campaign 2008   |   Ancestry Stories   |   Various Collections  |   Bookshop   |   Model Boats   |   Link Collections   |   Research Steamboat History






Steamboats.com Exhibition of Steamboat Photos

The Dave Thomson Collection
See steamboats in the movies, magazine covers, ads, paintings, murals, photos, and Dave's river room paraphernalia (approximately 80 pages). This exhibit includes four high resolution steamboat photos that print 8 x 10 - click here.

Russian Paddlewheel Riverboats
Photos of cruise ships in Russia, sent in by Alexander Karpov, director of Russian steamboat crusises, Zetourz.com.

Julia Belle Swain
See a collection of photos of this authentic paddlewheel steamboat based in La Crosse, Wisconsin, sent in by Pilot Eric D. Dykman.

The Keith Norrington River Room Exhibit
Keith Norrington, steamboat museum curator, hosts a unique steamboat exhibit in his own home-office-museum complex along the Ohio River. Visit this virtual exhibit to see a good collection of steamboat memorabilia (6 pages, multiple photos of steamboat museum).

Turn of the Century Boats
Jerry Canavit shares black and white photos of Streckfus boats from his collection (exhibit is 13 pages long).

Paul Urbahn Collection
Steamships Delta Queen, Belle of Louisville, Megiddo Mission Ship, Majestic, Morningstar and Tarascon. A large postcard collection, posters, stamps, steamboat tickets, and a steamboat toy. (40 pages, start clicking). From the collection of Paul Urbahn.

John Matassa at Steamboats.com
This Wilmington, Deleware artist does oil paintings of famous Deleware steamships.

Contemorary Steamboats
These photos show the Delta Queen, American Queen, Mississippi Queen, Julia Belle Swain, Natchez and Belle of Louisville. All are currently in service (11 pages). From the collection of Allen Dale Strange.

Postcard
A circa 1910 postcard of the Helen Blair, sent in by Steve Huffman.

Locate Riverboats in the 50 States
Links to a steamboat or maritime museum near you. States featured at this site: California - Florida - Idaho - Nebraska - Oregon (Salem) - Oregon (Newport) - Washington - West Virginia - Wisconsin.





Model Boats

Three Model Boats
Three model boats by Virgil Reynolds: the Delta Queen, Henry L. Hillman, and River Rose.

Model boats
Boats and model kits by the late Dwight Hartman, of Hartman Fiberglass Models.

The North River, aka Clermont
Photos of a model built by Randy Decker, including large detail jpgs.

The North River, aka Clermont
Photos of a model built by Frederick Aeschbacher, including large detail jpgs.

The Pacific
A new model built by Bernd Mueller.

Knop Exhibit
A New Model Boat on Brazilian Waterways

City of Monroe
Photos of a radio-controlled model built by Jim Hale and an article by Jim Hale about how he built it.

Model Steamboats
Twelve photos of working steamboat models, crafted by Ralph Lossing. (highly recommended - 12 pages).

Links for model building help (at this site) click here.





Delta Queen and Delta King History Exhibition

Save the Delta Queen History
This National Historic Landmark won a special exemption from the U.S. Congress, which allows her to continue to transport overnight passengers.

Garmatz Skull & Crossbones Letter
In December 1970, Rep. Edward A. Garmatz circulated an infamous letter to the U.S. House of Representatives, warning that if the Delta Queen burned, the "blood will be on the congress." The letter is from the archives of the Save the Delta Queen history.

Delta Queen Photos
Interior and exterior shots of the paddlewheel steamboat, as well as photos of shore stops in Tuscaloosa, Demopolis, and Decatur, Alabama, and Columbus, Mississippi. Also, video clips of the paddlewheel, engineroom, and river; October 2007.

Delta Queen Log Book
A booklet that traces the boat's journey from Cincinnati to Kentucky Lake & Kentucky Lake to Chattanooga

Delta King in 1957 Photos from Kittimat, BC, Canada, where the Delta King served as a dormitory for men working at the Alcan Aluminum Plant. Photos generously provided by Thomas Mitchell.

Delta Queen Travel Souvenirs
Three paper receipts from a trip on the Delta Queen, circa 1970.

Bill Muster
Find out more about the man who helped Betty Blake and the American People save the Delta Queen.

Delta Queen and Delta King proof sheets by Steamboats.com photographers:
Delta Queen Photos
Delta King History and index to photos
Delta King, Spirit of Sacramento, and other Sacramento River riverboats
Delta King (boat details)
Delta King (interior spaces)
Delta King (most recent photos - April 2007)
Mississippi Queen Photos

People who Saved the Delta Queen
A series of photographs recently discovered in an attic portray the people who helped save the Delta Queen. Photos by Bill Muster.

Greene Line Steamers Executives
This photo shows Commodore Harold DeMarrero, Gordon Greene, Patrick Fahey, Senior Vice President Delta Queen Stamboat Company, Bill Muster, Shirley Bernstein, Ben Bernstein - President, BB Enterprises, Joyce A. Early - Senior Vice President - Finance of Delta Queen Steamboat Company, Ron Marcou - Senior Vice President - Passenger Services, Delta Queen Steamboat Company. Foreground - Frank Fried, President, Delta Queen Steamboat Company.

More Delta Queen People:
Betty Blake
Mary Greene
Greene Family genealogy page - now online! Click here.
Gabe Chengery
Congresswoman Leonore Sullivan
Delta Queen Stories Memories from Marguerite Verdino, Judy Patsch, Mel Hartsough, Jim Reising, Bob Reynolds, Kevin McCollister, Russ Ryle, Greg Menke, Ed Duemler, John Lewis, Randy Ward, and Charles Greene.

Save the Delta Queen Stories - Memories of the 1970 campaign

Save the Delta Queen 2008 - News and updates

Delta King History (go to DeltaKing.com)
The Delta Queen's twin was left behind in California when the Delta Queen moved to the Mississippi River. Now the Delta King has been restored as a hotel, theater and restaurant in Old Town Sacramento (link to the Delta King website).

Warren Stichtenoth at Steamboats.com
This Cincinnati artist designed cards, logos, and other graphics for Greene Line Steamers and the Delta Queen Steamboat Company in the 1960s and 1970s.

A Steamboat Hug
Steamboats are people too. (The Mississippi Queen under construction)

Peace Cruise
The Delta Queen does her part for peace.





Steamboat Ancestry Stories

Daniel's Steamboat Line
One researcher posts a wealth of information about his family's steamboat history.

Family History
Pete Swanson, great grandson of Frederick Daft, recounts ancestry, including Charles Daft, steamboat captain.

Capt. Fred E. Paul
Researcher wants info. on grandfather Capt. Fred E. Paul - Steamboat man from early to mid-1900s.

Ancestry Questions
One researcher is looking for more information about his steamboat ancestors. Read his story here.

Mercury Steamboat
The Mercury steamboat carrying men from the US Geodetic Survey.

Ancestry Stories
Jim Forcum recalls his great aunt and uncle who toured with a stage play through southern Indiana towns aboard the America, one of the many showboats of the time (with photo).

Steamboatin! Jamiesons (go to Jamiesons' site)
Learn about the steamboat history of this family in the Northwest U.S.

Little Kanawha River (go to RootsWeb.com)
Mail Boat "The Dove" and other reclaimed river memories 1919 - 1921 from Creston, on the Little Kanawha River near Parkersburg, West Virginia.

Greene Family genealogy page - now online! Click here.

If you want to post stories about your ancestors and their association with steamboats, please write them up and send them in. If you have photos, please send them along. Over the years I've received so many stories that I decided it's time to start preserving them at the Steamboat Museum. If you've written to me before, please consider writing up your story to post here. - Nori contact info..





Various Steamboat Exhibits

Murals of Kris Killman
Large murals of river scenes by Southern Illinois artist Kris Killman.

Mark Twain House
Photos of the Twain house in Hartford, Connecticut, by Nori Muster.

Steamboat Collages
Marcia Loudon's digital scrapbook kits allow you to use elements of the steamboat era to build pages for heritage family scrapbooks.

Story of the Apollo II
A Wisconsin artist built an exact replica of the Apollo, which sank in the river near his home.

Mystery Boat Ring
Help identify a boat carved in a gold ring.

Mystery Boat Photos
Help identify a boat from old photos bought at an estate sale.

Mystery Toy Boat
Help identify a toy paddlewheel boat.

Mystery Boat Pendant
Help identify a boat painted in a locket.

Mystery Boat
Help identify a mystery boat from these model photos.

Mystery Boat Identified
Web master posted this postcard showing a mystery boat in 1998 and steamboat expert Nigel Clark identified the boat in 2005.

Steamboat Scarf - See a beautiful 4' x 4' scarf based on a graphic the designer found at this site!

Steamboats of Nicaragua
Researcher David Dell is doing a documentary about the remains of the old boats in this country.

1883 Lithograph
The photos of an 1883 lithograph of the race between the Robert E. Lee and the Natchez were donted by Richard Sinex.

Steamboats of Idaho
Photos of these turn of the century boats donated by Jeffrey Davis (10 photos).

Steam Engine Exhibit
An illustrated history of steam power, written by K. Spitzner, Georgia (1999). New & improved. Much safer than those old steam engines.

Paddle Steamers of Australia

The Peerless Steamboat Wheel
First it was a pilot house wheel, then it was a chandelier; now it's a steamboat wheel again.

River Queen
Information Requested on this boat model. The signs on the side say "Three Rivers Transportation Company" . . .

A Tour of Central and Northeast Florida
Pictures of steamboats and steamboat art from this region.

The William Blake
The Dubuque, Iowa County Historical Society restored this old paddlwheeler. Now it's a "Boat and Breakfast."

Steamboat Postal History Exhibit
Currently on exhibit: First day covers from the Delta Queen post office.

Prints from antique glass plate negatives
See two prints of the City of Peoria. Sent in by Keith Johnson.

Answers to "Who built the first steamboat?"
This is a more controversial subject than expected. Read all these experts' opinions and make up your own mind.

Steamboat Link Page
Find more steamboats and steamboat information online.

Taste of Being
See the launch of the cute lil steamboat built by Bruce Benton - just for fun!

Museum Bookshop
Find books on the history of steamboats, Dixieland Jazz, Mark Twain and other steamboat subjects. A new picture book for children: click here

Steamboat Products
Steamboat lollipops: Best way to eat a steamboat. Also, steamboat clocks, jewelry, and more.

eBay Museum
Find steamboat paraphernalia through eBay! This exhibit offers examples of items that were for sale, spring 2004.

Research Room
If you have ancestry questions or other steamboat-related questions, or if you want to contact Steamboats.com to share your photos, stories, thoughts or memories please use our research room. If you are a steamboat expert, we invite you to visit the bulletin board to answer questions. Please post your answer to the guestbook so that it becomes a permanent record at this site for future researchers.