|
''President'' was a steamboat that currently lies dismantled in Effingham, Illinois. Originally named ''Cincinnati'', it was built in 1924〔(Maritime NHL History )〕 and is the only remaining "Western Rivers" style sidewheel river excursion steamboat in the United States.〔 She was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1989, although these designations were revoked in 2011.〔 Her home ports have been Cincinnati, Ohio; New Orleans, Louisiana; Vicksburg, Mississippi; St. Louis, Missouri; and Davenport, Iowa. ==History== Built in 1924 and then known as ''Cincinnati'', she was originally an overnight packet boat which carried passengers and freight from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Louisville, Kentucky. Her first trip was to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. In 1929, she was acquired by the Streckfus Company which briefly continued her use as a packet boat but then laid her up, until 1932. Streckfus moved her to her new home port of St. Louis, Missouri; over the next two years, the ship was converted to become the largest excursion boat in America. The entire superstructure was rebuilt in steel; and a two-deck-high ballroom was added, as well as a bandstand. It was at this time that she received her new name, ''President''. Newly converted and newly named, she opened for business in 1934. Streckfus advertised her as "the New 5 Deck Luxury Super Steamer, Biggest and Finest On The Upper Mississippi". She continued tramping (having no fixed schedule or published ports of call)() until 1941. (In 1940, she was displaced from her position as flagship of the Streckfus line by the S.S. Admiral.) In 1941, she switched her home port to New Orleans. Because fuel oil was restricted and many of the young crewmen joined the armed forces with the nation's entry into World War II, tramping was discontinued, and the cruises stayed close to home. After the war, ''President'' remained in New Orleans for many years as a popular music venue, featuring concerts by national acts such as U2, Cyndi Lauper, Men at Work, The Little River Band, and The Producers, and performances by New Orleans artists like Dr. John, The Neville Brothers, and The Cold.〔Doug McCash,("Remembering the Riverboat President music club" ), ''Times-Picayune'', November 15, 2009.〕 Because the wind made maneuvering the big boat difficult, she had her two side wheels removed and replaced by diesel engines in 1978. She was sold in 1985 and returned to St. Louis as her home port. While there, she was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark on Dec. 20, 1989. On July 27, 2011, the Department of the Interior issued a press release that included the following line; "Finally, President, a steamboat in St. Elmo, Illinois, had its designation as a National Historic Landmark withdrawn because of a loss of historic integrity."〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.nps.gov/nhl/Fall10Noms/PresidentRiverboat.pdf )〕 The ship was also removed from the National Register entirely.〔http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20110805.htm〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「President (steamboat)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|