TWIT would like to congratulate the Belle of Louisville on being named the 2005 Steamship of the Year. When I heard this prestigious news on WHAS 11 last night, the reporter also said that the Belle is the oldest steamship and paddlewheeler in operation, and was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1989.
She was built in 1914 and was originally named the Idlewild. The Belle is unique for her longevity, and for the fact that she needs only five feet of water to float. This has allowed her passageway on every navigable waterway in the country.
The Idlewild operated as a passenger ferry between Memphis, Tennessee and West Memphis, Arkansas. She also hauled cargo like cotton, lumber, and grain. During the 1920's the Idlewild took on a "tramp's" life. "Tramping" was the term used when steamboats traveled from town to town doing excursions from various points along a river. The Idlewild tramped the Ohio, Illinois, Mississippi and Missouri River systems.
The Idlewild arrived at Louisville in 1931. She ran trips that season between Fontaine Ferry amusement park near downtown Louisville and Rose Island, a resort about 14 miles upriver from Louisville. In 1934, the Idlewild returned to Louisville and operated a regular excursion schedule through World War Two. She did her duty like everyone else during the war. The Idlewild was outfitted with special equipment to push oil barges along the river. But she wasn't all work and no play. The steamboat also served as a floating USO nightclub for troops stationed at military bases along the Mississippi.
In 1947, the Idlewild was sold to J. Herod Gorsage, and her name was changed to the Avalon the following year. The name change had been the deathbed wish of the boat's master, Captain Ben Winters, whose career had started aboard a different steamboat called the Avalon.
A group of investors based in Cincinnati bought the Avalon in 1949. Over the next 13 years, she became the most widely traveled river steamer in the country. The Avalon pulled into ports all along the Mississippi, Missouri, St. Croix, Illinois, Kanawha, Ohio, and Cumberland rivers.
But by 1962, the Avalon was a sorry sight. In desperate need of major repairs and improvements, the boat was literally days away from the scrap yard when an auctioneer offered to put the doomed steamboat on the auction block. Her salvation came from Kentucky. At the auction, Jefferson County Judge/Executive Marlow Cook offered the highest bid. He bought the boat for $34,000 with county funds.
Along with her new life on the Louisville waterfront came a new name - the Belle of Louisville. Many hours went into repairing and restoring the boat. She needed a tremendous amount of time and attention before being suitable for passengers again. On April 30, 1963, the Belle made her first cruise in a race against the Delta Queen steamboat. That race was the beginning of an unparalleled river tradition. The Belle and the Queen still square off every year on the Wednesday before the Derby in The Great Steamboat Race.
I've had some great trips with friends and family on the Belle. Two interesting trips stand out in my memory. Both of them occurred in the month of June. The first memorable trip was in the late 80's on a trip with other Baptist churches in the Louisville area. It was early June, but it was unseasonably cold. Yes, I used "cold" and not "cool." During the evening, we were down on the lower deck of the Belle, huddled around the stinky boilers trying to keep warm. My childhood friend and co-worker Shannon will vouch for how cold it was that night out on the water - she was with us by the boilers trying to warm up. The second memorable trip was in the early 90's on a company outing. A friend went with me, and got seasick on the Belle. It wasn't like there were whitecap waves or anything - it was a normal day on the Ohio River, but he was as green as dollar bill for the entire trip. Needless to say, he hasn't been on the Belle since, nor has he gone with me to any company parties.
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