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Queen of New Orleans riverboat casino next to the Aquarium of the Americas, with Crescent City Connection in the background, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 12, 1994.

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How Riverboat Gambling Became Riverboat Gaming

Kevin has been involved in the gambling industry since the ‘80s. From winning tournaments to casino management, he’s ultimately done it all. Throughout the years, he’s written for various iGaming publications on topics such as the legal landscape of online casinos and strategies behind winning. His favorite game is blackjack.

Cash-strapped states across the South and Midwest in the late eighties and early nineties were desperate for a new source of cash revenue that didn’t raise taxes. Gambling seemed like an easy way out, but it was going to be a hard sell to dubious voters.

But what if they used the allure of the old riverboat gambling myths and the promise of using the riverboat casinos to keep the gambling scourge at arm’s length from impacted communities? Could they sell this new, sanitized riverboat gaming to their constituents?

The Evolution of Gaming on America’s Rivers

We will explore the history of riverboat gaming in America from the early 19th century right into the 21st. We will discuss how it morphed and was delicately managed to become a product that a broad number of people could support a few decades ago, before starting another slow decline, and we take a closer look at some of its few bright remaining stars.

• ⛴ The History of Riverboat Gambling
• ⛴ The Beginnings of Riverboat Gaming
• ⛴ A Few of the Best Riverboat Casinos Remaining
• ⛴ Conclusion

The History of Riverboat Gambling

The first steamboat to make the trip down the Ohio and then the Mississippi was aptly named New Orleans, and she made her inaugural trip in 1811. For the next 100 years, these boats would define commerce along the nation’s mighty rivers. And with commerce comes con men.

The huge sums of money that came from moving much of the fledgling nation’s goods up and down the rivers would prove to be a powerful temptation. While much of the gambling that soon developed on these long, slow trips along the river was legal, many of the men who came to play were on the wrong side of the law .

Not even two decades into the new steamboat trade and there were articles in the Eastern papers about the con men, card sharps, and confidence scams being run on every bumpkin that set foot on a boat. In 1835, the townsfolk in Vicksburg had had enough; they lynched 5 of the “professional gamblers” and burned every Faro table in town, which was stated to be in the dozens.

Much like the frontiersman who preceded them and the Wild West lawmen who would come later, these sharply dressed, supremely confident riverboat gamblers who plied their way on the steamboats of the Mississippi using only their luck and some “skills” they’d picked up along the way were the subject of many salacious headlines and stories in their day. Despite their many obvious flaws, an almost reverence was bestowed on them as archetypical American heroes.

The Beginnings Of Riverboat Gaming

The hay day of the Riverboat gambler started to fade in the 1860s during the Civil War, and then with the advent of railroads, they were soon all but forgotten. But in the early 1990s, states desperate for tax revenue and looking at the success of Las Vegas and Atlantic City decided to retest the waters of riverboat gambling.

This time, it was a way of introducing limited casino operations only along the waterways of the State’s rivers, selling it to their constituents as a diversion and pastime. Thus, the term riverboat gaming was needed . This was to be entertainment and frivolity, none of those card sharps and hustlers from the good ole days. So, a new term was coined.

Iowa led the riverboat race with the Diamond Lady in Bettendorf in April 1991. But riverboat gaming would soon come to Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, Louisiana , and other states along the Mississippi and other large rivers like the Missouri and Ohio and even the Fox and Red Rivers.

Used mainly as a stalking horse for the eventual opening of land-based casinos in most of these states, many gamblers found the cramped quarters, the limited selection of slots and tables, and most egregious of all, the ability to only embark or disembark while the boat was at the pier, to be a let down from the Las Vegas style experience that they had been promised.

In Iowa, the first land-based casinos made an appearance in just three years. In every State, some accommodations were made , from no longer having to cruise the dangerous rivers to being allowed to move on to barges over the river to being able to move to land as long as you were adjacent to the river. This was a push generally called dock-side gaming, which meant that the actual return of elegant paddle wheelers with blackjack, roulette, and slot machines prowling the Mississippi again lasted less than a decade.

Dock-side gaming was far safer and allowed gamblers to come and go as they pleased , which drove casino revenues much higher. Also, the ability in some states to move either onto barges or land-based casinos adjacent to piers saw some spectacular casinos get built that could finally meet the promise of a Las Vegas experience.

A Few Of The Best Riverboat Casinos Remaining

If you are going to visit one of the grand old ladies of the river, we think that you should start with the actual riverboats that once traveled the Mississippi, and of these, the Amelia Belle is one of the most iconic .

Situated about an hour and a half outside New Orleans, deep in Cajun Country, this beautiful riverboat gambling hall has over 30,000 square feet of gaming space , 800 slots, and a dozen table games. Before she was damaged during Hurricane Katrina, she sailed up the river from the port of New Orleans several times a day in the mid-90s, but she now sits permanently in Bayou Bouef, her expedition days behind her.

Since Louisiana has kept its premise of at least gambling on a boat, even if its moored in a giant pool or cemented to the dock, longer than most other of the original riverboat casino states, it’s no wonder we can find most of the truly breathtaking and best riverboat casinos there.

Another of the must-see gambling boats sits on the Red River in Shreveport, Louisiana. Chosen for its 20-minute proximity to the Texas border and only two and a half hours drive from Dallas, Shreveport was once a thriving riverboat gambling town and one of the country’s premier riverboat casino locations. But the Indian tribes in Oklahoma, which sit only an hour outside of Dallas to the North, have taken some of their business.

Still, there are several other riverboats operating in Shreveport, but what we think makes the Sam’s Town Property, one of the best riverboat casinos in Louisiana , is that they’ve turned a 30,000-square-foot gaming boat into a destination resort. They have a 500+ room hotel directly adjacent and tied into the property with four restaurants including a really nice steak house and lots of other amenities. The boat itself has over 1000 slots and more than 27 table games.

One of the best riverboat casinos outside of Louisiana is the Grand Victoria in Elgin, Illinois. Built back in 1995, she was spared the dangers of cruising the Fox River in 1999, when Illinois was one of the last states to end their riverboat gaming rules that required the boats to leave their docks. Today, this 30,000-foot boat has room for 1100 slots and almost 30 tables and even sports an onboard buffet and three other restaurants. She is one of the prettier examples of the early 1990s boats that you will see as well, and it is well worth your time to get a good vantage point and take in her lines.

While both the age of riverboat gamblers and its more recent short-lived renaissance of riverboat gaming are now a thing of the past, the allure of cruising the mighty Mississippi while making your living playing cards and shooting dice will probably live on into the distant future. There is something about the water flowing past and the land slipping by out the window that just seems to call for a quick hand of poker or a spin on the roulette wheel.

It’s a call back to a time when the men and women who traveled these waterways were used to risking everything in order to follow their dreams. Get out there and check out some of those boats, wander the decks, play a hand or two of blackjack, and contemplate that river streaming by while you still have a chance to see a dying American breed , the last of the riverboat casinos.

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5 Top Mississippi Riverboat Casinos of Louisiana

• Bojan Lipovic
• March 12, 2021

The mighty Mississippi River is the jugular vein of the Unites States, connecting its northern and southern parts.  The river is also renowned for its legendary riverboat casinos that used to traverse its banks from Minnesota to Louisiana.

The Mississippi River represents one of the most important topographic features in North America.  In its entirety, it zigzags through ten states and covers an impressive distance of 2,320 miles.  The river birthed some significant settlements along its winding flow, including St Paul, St Louis, Baton Rouge, La Crosse and New Orleans, all of which were once directly connected by stately riverboats that traversed the Mississippi.

However, these riverboats were more than just modes of transport, with many of them housing plush apartments and glitzy casinos, since gambling on land was strictly forbidden at the time.  As a result, the legend of riverboat casinos was born, the allure of which lives on to this very day.

Back in the 19 th century, the slow-cruising riverboats attracted a colourful spectre of guests, as they lazily steamed down the river and the bayou waterways.  While the Louisiana riverboats no longer cruise along the Mississippi on gambling adventures, you can still relive the experience of floating casinos by embarking on one of Louisiana’s moored riverboat gambling houses.

Here are the top five riverboat casinos of Louisiana that you should not miss:

1. Isle of Capri Casino

The Isle of Capri Casino has been moored in Louisiana’s Lake Charles, where it still floats amidst its former grandeur.  The boat is decked with 11 poker tables, 34 tables with other games and an impressive 1,175 slots.

For those searching for gastronomical delights, restaurants like Otis Steakhouse, Lone Wolf Express, Farmer’s Pick Buffet and Henry’s Bar & Grill offer a sumptuous mixture of Cajun, creole and French colonial cuisines.  And, after a good dinner, what better way to end your evening than by listening to a performance of good old Louisiana swamp pop.

2. Treasure Chest Casino

To find the Treasure Chest Casino riverboat, head off to the pristine waters of Lake Pontchartrain.  The lake shares its shores with New Orleans itself, so you can enjoy the Big Easy while raiding your treasure chest on the lake.

The Treasure Chest Casino is a classic riverboat oozing old-world charm, with plush interiors, jazz bands and good chow. The gaming floor, which is open until 5 am each morning, houses 36 tables that include blackjack, roulette, craps and the ever-present Mississippi stud poker.

3 Sam’s Town

Sam’s Town Hotel and Casino riverboat is moored on the banks of the Red River in Shreveport.  The boat follows an Old West theme, complementing the Southern charm of its host city.  The riverboat itself forms part of a larger casino complex, so you can pick and choose your gambling flavours.

There’re craps, baccarat, roulette and poker tables, as well as progressive slots that are open 24 hours a day.  And, when it’s time to sink your teeth into some good grub, William B Steakhouse or Smokey Joe Café are there to cater to your craving.

4. Amelia Belle

Amelia Belle is a grand old lady of the river, exuding glitz and glamour across its four floors.  This classy ship is docked in the bayou town of Amelia and offers a good selection of Texas hold’em, Mississippi stud and 3-card pokers.  For food and drinks, pay a visit to the Bayou Café or the renowned all-you-can-eat Cajun Buffet.

5. Hollywood Casino

There’s no shortage of Hollywoods in the US, with the best-known ones located in California and Florida.  Not surprisingly, there’s a Hollywood in Louisiana, too, moored on the banks of the mighty Mississippi in Baton Rouge.  The boat is peppered with over a thousand slot machines, as well as dozens of table games such as roulette, craps, blackjack, 3-card-poker and Cajun stud poker.

The Hollywood Casino riverboat combines Hollywood’s allure with Las Vegas’s ostentatiousness, all mixed with a Southern flair. To tantalise your tastebuds, indulge at the Epic Buffet, grab a Cajun snack at the Take Two Deli, or hobnob at the Celebrity Grill. And there’s the champagne brunch each Sunday, or the monthly Jazz lunch, to celebrate the sights and sounds of the Big Easy and the birthplace of cool.

Bojan Lipovic - Digital Project Manager

Besides polishing his SEO skills, Bojan has a penchant for creative writing. With over half a decade of experience in the online gambling industry under his belt, his written take on the latest news from the Canadian and global gambling industries is an indispensable source of information for the CASINOenquirer team. Bojan’s primary goal is to ensure that players get a superior experience through the top-notch content that he shares.

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Riverboat Gaming On The Mississippi

Life on the Mississippi is changing for the bettor. Since Iowa first launched riverboat gaming on April 1,1991, four other states along the Mississippi have enacted similar legislation. Missouri became the latest state to legalize riverboat gaming on the Mississippi River, when voters overwhelmingly approved a statewide proposition on election day. In accordance with the new law, local municipalities or counties also have to approve gambling in separate proactive local referendums. St.

Louis, St. Charles, Ste. Genevieve, Jefferson City, Parkville, Jefferson county and Buchanan county did so on the same day.

Ironically, Hannibal, Mo., the hometown of Mark Twain, whose name is synonymous with the Mississippi riverboat era, was the only community to reject riverboat gaming in the recent Missouri vote.

Exhibit 1 shows highlights of the current riverboat gaming legislation in Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri.

There are a number of groups actively lobbying for legalization of riverboat gaming in Connecticut, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

With five states already on-line and others seriously considering legalization, shipbuilders, naval architects, outfitters and suppliers are gearing up for a lucrative, multimillion-dollar market which should be sustained for at least the next five years.

Depending on their size and outfitting, the average construction cost of a new riverboat casino could be $6 million to $12 million, with proposed gaming boats in Louisiana more than $35 million.

Perhaps the only exceptions to this gage are the casino vessels that will operate in Mississippi, a market that will be predominately composed of refitted, existing barges.

There are currently 14 riverboat casinos operating, five each in Illinois and Mississippi and four in Iowa. Exhibit 2 provides details on riverboat casinos in operation, while Exhibit 3 shows new construction.

"It's going to be a very good market over the next few years," said Charles Burrell, whose company, Jennings, La.-based Leevac Shipyards, Inc., is a major player in the construction of casino boats. "And with the recent passage of Missouri gaming, a good market just got a little bit brighter." Leevac is currently in discussions with several parties interested in riverboat casinos.

The yard's most recent delivery was the DeJong & Lebet-designed President Riverboat Casino Mississippi, which is one of the few selfpropelled vessels currently in operation in Mississippi.

Fully outfitted with sophisticated surveillance and gaming equipment, the President Riverboat Casino Mississippi had a reported price tag of $17 million.

Admiral To See Action As A Casino Boat The approval of riverboat gaming in Missouri will have a dramatic impact on the St. Louis riverfront. Under special provisions written into the Missouri law, permanently moored vessels within a certain distance of the Eads Bridge will be allowed to offer gaming. This provision, especially written in for the idled Admiral, owned by John Connelly's Gateway Riverboat Cruises of St. Louis, would give the former steamer a new life. The old riverboat, which measures 374- by 92-feet and was at one time licensed to carry 4,400 passengers, has been shut down since late 1988. Mr. Connelly also owns the excursion vessel Belle of St. Louis, built by Leevac Shipyards.

When she was constructed, the vessel, an integrated power unit and barge, was prewired for slot gaming operations. Mr. Connelly has already indicated that he plans to utilize both these vessels in casino operations. According to preliminary plans recently outlined by Gary C. Frommelt, director of marine operations for Gateway Riverboat Cruises, the refurbishment of the Admiral would involve the removal of bulkheads and gift shop areas on the first deck.

The first deck would then probably be closed off. The main ballroom on the second deck would be widened to the full beam of the boat by removing the outer bulkheads.

This area would then be utilized as the main casino. The renovation of the Admiral is expected to be completed this spring.

In addition, according to one industry source, another gaming vessel is in the design phase for the Connelly Group.

Its intended area of operation is unknown at this time.

There are approximately 10 slots available near the Eads Bridge for permanently moored casino boats, six of which are reportedly controlled by the Connelly Group.

At the recent Riverboat Gaming Congress & Expo held in New Orleans, Mr. Connelly also announced that his firm, President Riverboat Casinos, Inc., had applied for registration for public trading on the NASDAQ exchange.

A stock offering would supply the firm with an infusion of capital to further expand operations.

The firm includes excursion vessel operator Gateway Riverboat Cruises, President Casinos gaming operations in Iowa and Mississippi, and gaming equipment manufacturer International Gaming Technology. Proposals For The St. Louis Riverfront In the space of one week of the approval of riverboat gaming in Missouri, there were no less than a half dozen projects proposed for the St. Louis riverfront by would-be casino operators.

One of the most ambitious projects came from Jumer Hotels & Casinos, the operator of the successful Illinois gaming vessel Casino Rock Island.

Jumer's proposal calls for the construction of two new casino boats and a 250-room hotel at Laclede's Landing, an historic district north of the Eads Bridge currently under renovation.

As laid out by Jumer, the two casino boats would be near replicas of the steamers J.S. Deluxe and Capital, which served St. Louis in the early 1900s.

The J.S. Deluxe II would be permanently moored at the site, while the Capitol II would make regular gaming excursion trips. The 320- foot J.S. Deluxe II, with a restaurant on its upper deck and casinos on its second and main decks, and a 195-foot pavilion barge, featuring gift shops, recreation area and offices, would be built first and open in the spring of 1994.

The 293-foot Capital II would be completed in the fall of 1995. The hotel would be open by late 1994. Jumer expects to draw over 3.1 million people to the complex upon its completion.

The total cost of the project would be more than $90 million.

According to figures released by the company, this unique attraction would create jobs for 2,250 employees with a payroll of $67 million and produce a projected $163.9 million in city and state revenues over its initial five years.

Other proposals for Laclede's Landing came from: Ashfari Enterprises, Casino Magic Corporation, Kuhlmann Design Group, St. Louis Riverport Resort, and Skyline Casinos, Inc.

City officials are expected to decide late this month which of the firms would receive the mooring lease for Laclede's Landing. Queen of New Orleans: A $35 Million Riverboat "Hilton has long been at the forefront of the gaming industry and as gaming proliferated across the country, we plan on taking advantage of appropriate opportunities," said Barron Hilton, chairman and president of Hilton Hotels Corporation. Sticking to its philosophy, Hilton Hotels Corporation and its partner New Orleans Paddle wheels, Inc., are soon expected to announce the award of the contract to construct a 3,500-passenger, 400- by 90-foot casino paddlewheeler for Louisiana.

According to Duncan McKenzi, president, Hilton's Queen of New Orleans Riverboat Casino, the short list of yards in the running for the contract has been narrowed to Halter Marine, Inc., a part of the Trinity Marine Group; Avondale Industries, Inc.; Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co., Inc.; and McDermott, Inc.

Many insiders believe that Halter Marine, which provided the design work for the vessel, will be awarded the construction contract. The $35 million project, which will involve 200 jobs for ship workers, is expected to be completed approximately 12 months from the start of construction.

Some industry sources suggest that the cost of the vessel might exceed $35 million, once specialized surveillance, coin counting and gaming equipment is installed. Upon completion, the Queen of New Orleans would feature a 30,000-squarefoot casino containing nearly 1,500 slot machines and 60 table games. "We are going to award the contract to a Louisiana-based yard to stay within the spirit of the law, which was to create jobs locally," said Mr. McKenzie. "Three of the yards are based right here in New Orleans, while Bender just recently purchased the Bergeron Shipyard in Braithwaite." Conservative estimates by Mr. McKenzie project that the vessel will carry over one million passengers per year, generating revenues of about $40-45 per person per trip. If a lease can be obtained, the Queen of New Orleans would operate out of a new open air pavilion located at the Canal Street Wharf.

New Orleans Paddlewheels, Inc., will own 50 percent of the project and manage the operation of the vessel. Hilton Gaming Division will manage the operation of the casino. According to joint venture partner Warren Reuther, president of New Orleans Paddlewheels, Inc., the two firms are also considering operating vessels out of the cities of Lake Charles and Shreveport.

These vessels would be smaller than the Queen of New Orleans, with a length of250 feet and beam of 60 feet, carrying 1,500 passengers. The paddlewheelers, of Rodney E. Lay design, would be similar in style to the Players Riverboat Casino under construction at Leevac Shipyards, Inc., in Jennings, La.

"Riverboat gaming will have a major impact on tourism to Louisiana," said Mr. Reuther. "The project [Queen of New Orleans] will work to enhance the existing charm and excitement New Orleans is renowned for . . ." As many as 15 licenses are expected to be issued in Louisiana, with a maximum of six vessels operating out of any one Parish.

By law, gaming operations have been limited to: the Mississippi, Red, Calcasieu, Mermentau, Ouachita and Atchafalaya Rivers, Bayou Bienvenue, Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

All the vessels must be paddlewheelers and of at least 150 feet in length. Up to 60 percent of the passenger square footage can be devoted to gaming.

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The River: Last river journey for regal Delta Queen: ‘Tied off at Galvez Wharf. End of the Line. Amen.’

By Capt. Don Sanders Special to NKyTribune

(The riverboat captain is a storyteller, and Captain Don Sanders is sharing the stories of his long association with the river — from discovery to a way of love and life.)

No sooner had the last passenger scrambled from a taxi and across the swinging stage resting on the ancient cobblestone grade at St. Louis, the DELTA QUEEN lay primed and anxious for departure.

“Here, Benton, ring the bell for the last time,” I shouted to the young man who, with his doctor’s consent, had signed on as a porter for the last week the most famous steamboat in the world at that time would likely operate. The QUEEN, scheduled for New Orleans, was destined to tie up there and never run again carrying more than 50 passengers in the overnight cruise trade.

Benton Roblee Duhme, the scion of a local family famed for manufacturing quality footwear sold under the trade names Roblee, Buster Brown, and Mary Janes, preferred to be a steamboatman instead of a shoe company executive. This “Last Trip of the DELTA QUEEN,” however, would also be Benton’s final time on the Mississippi River because of a terminal illness. Besides, young Duhme loved the QUEEN so much he would do anything to be on board – even if that meant carrying heavy luggage, scrubbing pots and pans, and hustling overloaded trash containers when most people in his condition might be considering hospice care.

The Log Book of the Steamer DELTA QUEEN, dated Wednesday, October 28, 1970, barely 51 years ago this past week, noted: “Benton R. Duhme, St. Louis, rang two last bells.”

Immediately, following Benton’s signal, Pilot Charlie Fehlig blew the final departure whistle as the DELTA QUEEN backed away from the St. Louis levee at 9:35 AM… “one last time.”

By noon, the QUEEN passed Kennett’s Castle, Mile 247, Upper Mississippi River, averaging a speed of better than 12 ½ MPH. At 3:30, the DELTA QUEEN met the steam dredge U. S. KENNEDY at Potato Bend, Mile 97, and by watch change at 6 PM, the boat was at Shepherd’s Light, Mile 63.4, for a distance of 83.6 miles run since passing the Castle for an increased downstream speed of 13.9 MPH.

Forty-five minutes later, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, lay to the QUEEN’s starboard quarter. At 10:45, the venerable steamer arrived at Cairo Point, Mile 0.0, UMR, and entered the Lower Mississippi, Mile 953.8 AHP, with the Mouth of the Ohio River, Mile 981.5, abreast the port bow.

Shortly after midnight, Thursday, October 29, 1970, fog slowed the DELTA QUEEN after averaging almost 14 miles-an-hour, a racehorse-like speed for the elder steamboat. Eventually, decreasing visibility forced her to “choke a stump” half a mile below Milton Bell Light, Mile 907.5, until the pea-souper lifted close to 9 AM. Once the fog dissipated, Captain Harry Hamilton, the forward watch pilot, continued until noon to Cherokee Light, Mile 867.3, where Captain Fehlig regained control and landed at Caruthersville, Missouri, from 1:45 to 3:10 PM. There, a crowd of several thousand well-wishers waiting at the landing thrilled to see the DELTA QUEEN for “one more time.”

Meanwhile, on the Main Deck, near the head of the boat, Benton, myself, and other crewmembers watched in fascination at the rousing reception given by the Caruthersville fans of the QUEEN.

Later that evening, around 9:15 PM, a passenger, Miss Blanch Watts, 86, staying in Room 208, died of an apparent heart attack. According to the Log, “Ship’s physician, Dr. M. J. Schneider, was called to the room. The victim died before she got there.” Apparently, the “ship’s doctor” was a woman, which may not raise an eyebrow at this writing 51 years after the fact, but though female doctors were not uncommon in 1970, it was unusual for one to be aboard the DELTA QUEEN, that I recall.

Generally, these days, overnight river passenger boats do not carry a physician of either sex on their cruises. Instead, they may employ trained EMTs or other crewmembers to tend to the medicinal needs of passengers and crew. (Please feel free to correct me if I err. Aboard the Casino Boats, there was always a Certified EMT on duty whenever passengers were on the vessels.)

What I do recall, though, were the frail remains of Ms. Watts wrapped in her stateroom blanket reposing within the wire Stoke’s Litter, commonly called the “dead basket,” upon the main Deck starboard life-preserver box with the lights of Beale Street at Memphis aglow beyond where the QUEEN landed to await an undertaker to carry the little lady ashore. All around Miss Watts, the boisterous crew eagerly and nosily anticipated their share of a 12-hour shorestop where Beale Street beckoned. Within less than an hour after landing, the hearse arrived and removed its somber consignment. No one seemed to miss the elderly lady from Room 208 who left behind the blanket tossed nonchalantly within the empty “dead basket” still resting atop the lifejacket locker.

That following afternoon, at 5:50 PM, the paddlewheeler landed below the Helena, Arkansas Highway Bridge to “put off a NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC photographer.” Though I cannot recall the photographer’s name, he had been aboard the DELTA QUEEN off and on all year to document what was likely the last year the steamboat would operate carrying more than 50 paying persons in the overnight river trade. In the usual GEOGRAPHY storytelling style, a central character is often selected as a focal person to move the story along and add human interest to an otherwise inanimate object – a steamboat in this particular case. In this instance, I was that intermediary individual. Had the DELTA QUEEN failed to acquire an exemption from the so-called “Safety at Sea” law before the end of 1970, I would have been the featured person in a documentary film recording the last year of the QUEEN.

Thankfully, a “rider” introduced to a bill in the U. S. Congress by Kentucky Senator Marlow Cook of Louisville saved the glorious steamboat at the last possible moment, so the GEOGRAPHIC film was never released. Nevertheless, with the passage of over a half-century, the footage shot during the “last year” should indeed have an intrinsic, historic value of its own. Perhaps the footage may still exist in some forgotten vault, but the chances are slim to none.

On Halloween Day, Saturday, October 31, at 9:20 in the morning, a small government boat, the M/V PAT II, “took Mr. Muster and another photographer off at Lake Providence to be picked up on a sandbar by a helicopter,” according to Captain Ernest E. Wagner’s handwriting. As all fans of the DELTA QUEEN know, Captain Wagner was the austere, though often genial Master of the QUEEN.

Around 1:30 that afternoon, the steamboat landed alongside the retired Steamer SPRAGUE, the largest steam, sternwheel towboat ever built, for a command performance of “Gold in Them Thar Hills,” a melodrama presented exclusively for those riding the DELTA QUEEN on its “last trip.” By 10:30 that evening, after the applause faded from the final performance aboard the SPRAGUE, the QUEEN once again entered the relentless torrent of the Mississippi River.

By 4:30 AM, Sunday, November 1, she was all-fast at Vidalia, Louisiana, across from historic Natchez, Mississippi, where several hundred well-wishers crowded the shores on both sides of the river to witness her 12:20 afternoon departure for “one last time.” Before midnight, Captain Hamilton skillfully guided the DELTA QUEEN through the crowded riverfront at Baton Rogue.

By midnight, Monday, November 2, 1970, Cap’n Harry turned the pilotage over to Cap’n Charlie at Plaquemine Bend Light, Mile 210.4, just 115 miles above the QUEEN’s final destination at Poydras Street Wharf in New Orleans. From midnight to 6 AM, the DELTA QUEEN ran on a “slow bell” for an early morning stop at Oak Alley Plantation. Finally, at 7 AM., the QUEEN nudged in at the plantation landing. I recall that I helped run the heavy mooring lines ashore and was the one who untied the boat “one last time” at 9:30 and, alone, muscled the lines to the water’s edge, where the crew pulled them onto the deck. According to photos, for some strange reason, I was wearing tan coveralls and an odd-looking railroad cap while I helped with the lines.

By 2 PM, the QUEEN steamed beneath the Huey P. Long Bridge and was no longer governed by the navigation rules of the Western Rivers but rather by the International set of the Rules of the Road. Fifteen minutes later, the U. S. Engineer Guage read “4 FT – S.” as the steamboat steamed by the government guage “a final time.”

At 2:30, my handwriting in the Log Book revealed, “Picked up photographers from a small launch alongside at Audubon Park, New Orleans.”

2:40 PM. “Passed Str. MATEUR at Harmony Street Wharf,” the same wharf where I first arrived in New Orleans as a young deckhand and a fill-in Night Watchman onboard the Steamer AVALON, eleven years earlier.

As the DELTA QUEEN made its final approach to the Poydras Street Wharf shortly before 3 PM that afternoon, a single headline found its way ashore and onto a stout bollard before a stiff wind blew the steamboat straight out into the river; perpendicular to the dock like a giant fish caught on a cable. Thousands of spectators watched from the wharves as we slowly and surely reeled the QUEEN toward the wooden wharf structure.

Further toward the middle of the river, beyond the DELTA QUEEN, a pair of fireboats sprayed a welcoming watery archway for the retiring “Queen of the Western Rivers” until we nearly had the cantankerous steamboat under control and abreast the wharf at Poydras Street.

Once the DELTA QUEEN was landed and secured for the “last time,” I noticed Benton Duhme hard at doing what he loved best — being a steamboatman no matter how hard, dirty, or challenging the task.

The following day, Tuesday, November 3, 1970, soon after the DELTA QUEEN moved to a mooring on the Industrial Canal to await its inevitable fate, Captain Wagner’s last entry in the Log read simply…

“Tied off at Galvez Wharf. End of the Line. Amen.”

6 thoughts on “ The River: Last river journey for regal Delta Queen: ‘Tied off at Galvez Wharf. End of the Line. Amen.’ ”

Well written Captain Don. I could feel the emotion of the historical journey. Thanks very much.

Well Written; almost like being Aboard. Helps to have been close.

It was my pure pleasure to write, produce and present my DVD “Tested By Ti me to Become an American Legend, the Steamboat DeltaQueen. And on top of that, to be a program presenter on the final trip. Still miss this great steamboat so much! G. W. “Jerry ” Sutphin

Wonderful article about the Delta Queen. Thanks to my dad, my mother and I were privileged to board her in Nashville for a Civil War battlefields cruise in 2005. Prof. Bud Robertson of Virginia Tech was our host. Mom and I stayed in the forward portside stateroom and enjoyed every second of it. I love to read your river stories, Captain Don!

Great article. Did the Delta Queen winter in Cincinnati in 1972?

WOW guys get going she is setting in Houma La fading away forever GET GOING Who was last pilot? She is rotting away no one is doing a thing Carole Matthews — just me and Nori Muster trying to save her. Thanks for reading and please help save the great old riverboat before it is too late thanks

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Creole Queen Historic Cruise

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We're back!!!

We are so happy to announce that after 4 long months, the Creole Queen is returning to the River for a once daily cruise Friday, Saturday, and Sunday! We are taking the COVID-19 situation very seriously and will actively monitor the updates from the CDC, City, State, and Federal governments accordingly. The health and safety of our guests and staff is of the utmost importance to us. To mitigate the impact of the coronavirus, we are taking the following extra steps in addition to adhering to our stringent health standards, as recommended by and in accordance with the Passenger Vessel Association.

To learn more about our Social Distancing Protocol, please click here .

Until at least August 31st, we will only operate one Historic Cruise on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 12:00pm-2:30pm for the time being. Please stay tuned to our social media pages and our website for updates.

Focusing on 300 years of New Orleans history, this cruise is narrated by a local historian who takes guests on a journey through the story of the city as we sail downriver to the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and the historic Chalmette Battlefield. Highlights of the tour include the founding of the city by the LeMoyne brothers, the expansion of the city into the “French Quarters” of the Treme and Marigny, the Louisiana Purchase, and the critical Battle of New Orleans. A one-hour shore excursion at the battlefield features a guided tour of the Historic Chalmette Battlefield where the Battle of New Orleans was fought.

Enjoy bottomless mimosas on our Historic Cruise for an additional $15!

Please note, the Chalmette Battlefield grounds are open and available for tours, but the facilities (bathroom, gift shop, and visitors center) are not open.

MID-DAY CRUISE

• 11:30am – 12:00pm Boarding
• 12:00pm – 12:30pm Sails to Chalmette Battlefield
• 12:30pm – 1:30pm Battlefield Tour
• 1:30pm – 2:30pm Return to Spanish Plaza

Inclusions: Narrated cruise, tour of the battlefield

Bar specials and Add-Ons : Cash bar, $15 bottomless Mimosas, Packaged lunch available for a la carte purchase on board for an additional cost.*

• Child (12 and under): FREE through August

Option of Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad, Jambalaya, Red Beans, or a Hot Roast Beef Po-Boy – a la carte, purchased on board at the bar.

Discounted parking is available at the World Trade Center (WTC) Parking Lot on the corner of Poydras Street and Convention Center Boulevard (100 Poydras Street). Your printed parking ticket must be presented to the Creole Queen ticket booth in order to receive the Creole Queen discount for up to 5 hours of parking.

Miscellaneous:.

• Print out your receipt/confirmation email as your ticket for the tour.
• Call 504.529.4567 for discounted group rates.
• PET POLICY: We do not allow pets onboard. However, Service Animals as defined by the ADA are always welcome. Although it is not required, as a courtesy we recommend notifying us at least 24-hours in advance that you will be bringing a Service Animal aboard.
• No outside food or beverages are allowed onboard. For specific food allergies questions or requests please call at least 24-hours ahead of your cruise.

Reservation & Cancellation Policies:

• Cruise times may be altered or canceled due to weather and safety concerns.
• Cruise may remain dockside in the event of unfavorable sailing conditions.
• All reservations must be prepaid by credit card, are nontransferable, and are subject to availability.
• Any cancellation requires 24 hours notice for full refund.

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Phone 504.529.4567 or 1.800.445.4109 Corporate Office: 4220 Howard Ave. New Orleans , LA 70125 Departure Location: 1 Poydras St. New Orleans , LA 70130

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Grand Victoria II

Rising Sun, IN

The Grand Victoria II, since 1996 is the center part of the Grand Victoria Casino & Resort in Rising Sun, Indiana. While the boat is “the finest diesel-electric sternwheeler ever built” (Capt. Don Sanders), she is permanently moored right on Indiana’s state border and can’t move without violating Kentucky’s strict gambling laws.

The Grand Victoria II was launched as “Queen of New Orleans” in 1993 by Halter Marine of New Orleans for the Manthe Family.

The Queen of New Orleans/Flamingo was built as a much larger version of the Creole Queen. Captain Troy Manthe was fond of saying that “the best of the Creole Queen went into the Flamingo.”

In 1995 the boat was sold to Hilton Flamingo in New Orleans where Hilton operated her as a floating casino for about one year. Still officially named “Queen of New Orleans”, she was called “Flamingo” (“Queen of New Orleans” still being painted on the bow, life vests etc.).

Hyatt Gaming bought the vessel in 1996 and renamed her Grand Victoria II.

Capt. Don Sanders says about the boat: “The Flamingo, designed by Guido Perla, is arguably, the finest diesel-electric sternwheeler ever built. We raced and whipped the Mississippi Queen who was running alongside on a full head of steam before we even came ahead on the 1.500 hp paddlewheel over a two-mile course soon after the beautiful boat started running the gamlin’ boat trade, on the Ohio River, opposite Rabbit Hash, about ten years ago.”

Whistle of the Grand Victoria II

Listen to the whistle of the Grand Victoria II:

Note: The whistle is no longer on the Grand Victoria II but will be installed on the Julia Belle Swain instead, as of 2023.

Here is a special recording Capt. Don Sanders sent us – the Grand Victoria II greets the Delta Queen as she passes by, and the Delta Queen’s whistle is answering:

The Grand Victoria II had been built as a fine paddlewheel riverboat in a time where casino boats still had to cruise while their guest were gambling. So the Grand Victoria II also has a beautiful whistle she still blows as of today when towboats or steamboats like the Delta Queen, American Queen, Mississippi Queen or Belle of Louisville are passing by.

When listening to the whistle recording you might recognize that steamy puff-puff – that is from the Belle of Louisville from steam exhaust pipes. The recording was made from aboard the Belle of Louisville when passing the Grand Victoria II on her way to Tall Stacks 2006.

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Burgeoning Mississippi riverboat industry grapples with increasing threats of flooding, drought

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As demand for overnight river cruises on the Mississippi increases, the industry also faces increasing climate threats. Recent years have seen wild swings between heavy rainfall and severe drought, making the river tougher to navigate.

Low water levels forced cancellations last year, and climate experts fear that may happen again as it shapes up to be another dry summer, according to experts during a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration webinar July 6.

The most intense drought conditions are happening in the Midwest, throughout the upper Mississippi River basin, during what should be the rainiest season. Worsening drought upriver is raising red flags for the lower Mississippi, which relies on the Ohio River basin for about 60 percent of its flow. At St. Louis, the Mississippi River is about 10 feet below average for this time of year, with months to go until fall, its typical low season. Low river levels could bring a cascade of challenges for ships on the Mississippi River. “Their docks may be affected, and they may not be able to get to them,” said Anna Wolverton, the NOAA liaison to the Army Corps of Engineers’ Mississippi Valley Division.

Last fall was a perfect storm of weather conditions: lower-than-normal rainfall, higher-than-normal temperatures and a longer-than-usual La Niña, which causes drier, warmer weather. This year could shape up to be the same, according to NOAA forecasters.

Viking launched its first Mississippi River cruise last September — a business venture that many saw as a vote of confidence in overnight cruises on the Big Muddy a decade after the industry’s return. But within a month of Viking’s debut, drought created trouble for companies that rely on the waterway.

Viking Mississippi set sail from New Orleans on Oct. 1 with hundreds of passengers on board. The two-week tour was supposed to end in St. Paul, Minnesota, but within a few days, barges were stranded on sandbars because of low water levels, and Viking’s boat was stuck for an entire day, waiting for the green light to continue upriver.

But Viking had to call off the rest of the cruise. It docked just north of Greenville, Mississippi, and bused passengers about three hours north to Memphis to fly home. Because the boat couldn’t continue upriver, it had to cancel its next trip, too, which was supposed to set sail from St. Paul for a trip downriver.

For barges, the key to continuing along the river was to decrease cargo and reduce the number of barges in each tow. With a lighter load, the odds of running aground a sandbar were much lower. Even then, some shippers turned to rail — a less efficient and more expensive method — to get cargo downriver, but cruise companies can’t detour and provide passengers with the same experience.

So last year, the three companies on the river — American Queen Voyages, American Cruises Lines and the newcomer, Viking — had to adjust itineraries, offer refunds and, in some cases, cancel tours altogether.

In the past century, the watershed has oscillated between very dry and very wet, which many Earth scientists believe to be the result of rising global temperatures. The National Integrated Drought Information System — NOAA’s drought monitoring branch — reports that annual lows are getting lower on the Mississippi. It’s one of the ways “climate change rears its ugly head,” according to Dorian Burnette, a professor who studies extreme weather events at the University of Memphis.

“If it’s dry, it’s gonna get drier. If it’s wet, it’s gonna get wetter,” Burnette said.

The Mississippi River’s flow can be slow to respond to changes, since the watershed drains more than 40 percent of the continental United States. It takes about three months for water that leaves Lake Itasca, the river’s primary source, to reach the Gulf of Mexico.

Over that period of time last fall, the river fell 20 feet, making it a flash drought. The National Weather Service has long provided flash flood warnings, but flash droughts are less understood and, as a result, not predicted with the same level of accuracy.

Cindy D’Aoust, president of American Queen Voyages, said that’s just part of the business. “Operating riverboats means that adjustments to itineraries are continually made due to river flow and changing river levels,” D’Aoust said.  

Robert De Luca, captain of the American Queen, said he’s seen the lingering effects of last year’s drought. “It definitely affected our business,” De Luca said. “To this day, we’re still trying to recover from that.”

Riverboat pilots must constantly adapt to the river as it fluctuates. In Memphis, when the river falls below seven feet — still above what the National Weather Service considers to be “low” — De Luca said the American Queen has to land a few miles upriver of Beale Street Landing at Greenbelt Park. Boats have to tie off to trees on the riverbank at Greenbelt Park, there’s no shaded area for passengers and crews have to run a hose to a hydrant more than 100 feet away to refill water.

The cruise lines are always developing contingency plans to keep up with a constantly changing river, but D’Aoust said the deviations last fall were unprecedented. At the time, Burnette and two other Earth scientists at the University of Memphis described the “dramatic plunge in water levels as a preview of a climate-altered future.”

For the shipping industry, Burnette said the future could involve more dredging to keep the river navigable, or adopting new water management practices. As the frequency and intensity of low-water events increase, Burnette said the industries that rely on the waterway must adapt.

For cruises, that could mean building itineraries around new seasonal weather patterns, but he sees the most room for improvement in forecasting.

This story, the second in a three-part series, published in partnership with the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting, part of Mississippi Today, is a product of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk , an independent reporting network based at the University of Missouri in partnership with Report for America , funded by the Walton Family Foundation .

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by Keely Brewer, The Daily Memphian, Mississippi Today July 12, 2023

This <a target="_blank" href="https://mississippitoday.org/2023/07/12/mississippi-river-cruise-industry-faces-increasing-climate-threats/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://mississippitoday.org">Mississippi Today</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://i0.wp.com/mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MT_icon-logo-favicon-1.png?fit=134%2C150&amp;ssl=1" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;"><img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://mississippitoday.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=1100096&amp;ga4=G-VSX4B701MS" style="width:1px;height:1px;">

Sunken casino riverboat exposed due to low Miss. River water levels

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Ever since the Mighty Mississippi River reduced to a trickle of its former self, it’s slowly revealed what lies beneath. The latest find — an old casino riverboat.

The Diamond Lady took its maiden voyage in the early 90′s, according to Captain William Lozier, President of Memphis Riverboats.

He says it operated as a floating casino a few years later but was taken out of commission in favor of a larger vessel around 1999.

Lozier said the vessel was moved to Riverside Park Marina, but winter storms proved too much for the riverboat and she succumbed to the Mighty Mississippi in 2021.

But receding waters has revived interest in the Diamond Lady, which can now be seen from hull to mast.

Claire and Lucy Smith, along with their brother, were only a few of the hoards who have made the muddy hike through the receded banks to pay respects to the old Lady.

“We just thought it’d be fun,” Claire said. “And it’s so, so cool.”

Lucy said that she’s on the hunt for some other treasures the Mississippi River might reveal as waters stay at record-low levels.

“Things like this might reveal bones... or maybe even unsolved murders,” Lucy said with a laugh. “But you really do get to look at all the rich history of the Mississippi.”

Water levels have risen over the weekend, but aren’t expected to get back to normal just yet.

As the levels continue to rise and fall, there’s no telling what other secrets will be revealed under the black, murky waters of the Mighty Mississippi River.

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