200 Years in the Making
Riverboat
cruises, tours
offer visitors a glimpse back in time
Steamboat
Bicentennial
celebrates 1811 voyage
Lela
Jane Bradshaw
Contributing Writer
(September 2011) – When the riverboats the Belle
of Louisville and the Belle of Cincinnati dock in Madison, Ind., in
October, their arrival will mark the highlight of a yearlong celebration
of a journey that took place 200 years ago. All year, the Rivers Institute
at Hanover College has coordinated and showcased events marking the
1811 voyage of the New Orleans steamboat, whose successful trip on the
Ohio and Mississippi rivers proved the viability of steam power and
sparked a cultural revolution that would change the United States forever.
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Photo provided The
Belle of Louisville will join the |
Chuck Parrish, chair of the Steamboat Bicentennial Committee,
highlights the significance of Nicholas Roosevelt’s accomplishment
of guiding a steamboat up and down the Ohio River, noting that, “It’s
not only an important event for the area, but an important event in
American history.”
He explains that not only did the transportation revolution of being
able to travel upstream with relative ease open the markets to new economic
trade, but also to cultural trade as well. The steamboats would come
to influence what people ate, how they designed buildings, and even
how they entertained themselves.\
“Jazz music originated in the South and came north on steamboats,”
explains Parrish.
The Belle of Louisville and the Belle of Cincinnati will both take part
in a long weekend of cultural and entertainment events from Oct. 14-16.
A wide range of tours and cruises will be available to give residents
a glimpse of what steam travel would have been like years ago. Sample
options range from an extended round trip journey from Louisville to
Madison and back, to an elegant dinner and ball cruise, to riding the
river during an exciting steamboat race between the two Belles. For
those seeking a quick peek on board a steamboat, docked tours will be
available for $1.
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Steamboat
• Sept.
16, 7:30 p.m.: “Wilderness Plots” at the Ohio Theatre,
105 E. Main St., Madison |
Rivers Institute's Director of External Relations Marissa
Austin believes that the Bicentennial Steamboat Race will prove to be
one of the highlights of the Celebration. She notes that the CEO of
the Belle of Louisville and the Captain of the Belle of Cincinnati have
been jokingly “trash talking” about the race.
“They have a lot of fun and that makes it fun for the passengers,”
she says. The only other time that these two boats meet head to head
is during the race that occurs as part of the Kentucky Derby Celebration
and Austin is delight to report that “We are just as exciting as
Derby.”
The arrival of the steamboats in Madison will provide area school children
a rare educational opportunity. Field trips to visit the Belle of Louisville
will offer the chance for area school children giving students to see
a real steam powered boat first hand. Austin says that similar excursions
were very well received by students last year and notes that, “They
were so excited, it was so much fun to see them.”
Parrish notes that it is a particularly special for people to see a
steamboat that is 97 years old. The Belle of Louisville is the oldest
Western Rivers boat still in existence. The age of the boat is even
more impressive in light of the fact that the average life expectancy
of a steamboat was three to five years due to collisions and fire.
Parrish said he hopes that people will take advantage of the river cruises
saying, “The best way to see and know the river is to be on the
river in the water.” While many things have changed in the landscape
in the years since the crew of the New Orleans steamboat made their
voyage, Parrish says that some of undisturbed forests still stand along
the Ohio River and that his research has uncovered a few buildings that
were built more than 200 years ago that are still standing along the
river. He encourages anyone with an interest in transportation history,
the river, or just enjoying the scenery to take part in the Celebration.
• For more information, visit: hanover.edu/bicentennial.