Julia Belle Swain
The Julia Belle Swain is a steam-powered sternwheeler currently operating out of La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA.
Designed and built in 1971 by Capt. Dennis Trone, the Julia Belle was the last boat built by Dubuque Boat & Boiler Works of Dubuque, Iowa. The boat's steam engines were built in 1915 by the Gillett and Eaton Company and originally installed on the central wheel ferryboat City of Baton Rouge. The engines have logged well over a million miles. The steamer was featured prominently in the 1973 movie "Tom Sawyer" (as the "River Queen") as well as the 1974 movie "Huckleberry Finn."
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The Julia Belle was formerly based in Peoria, Illinois, making short excursions on Peoria Lake and two-day round trip cruises to Starved Rock State Park. Singer-songwriter John Hartford ("Gentle on My Mind") was a frequent guest pilot and often mentioned the Julia Belle in his songs, and penned a song named for the boat that appeared on his Mark Twang album. The boat ran excursions on the Ohio River at Evansville, Indiana during parts of the years 1975 and 1976.[1] [2] Later, the boat ran on the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The Julia Belle, smaller and nimbler than some of its sisters on America's rivers, has entered the Great Steamboat Race twice, in 1975 and 1976. She won in 1976, beating better-known vessels such as the Delta Queen and the Belle of Louisville.[3]
In 2009, the owners of the Julia Belle Swain canceled their season because of the slow economy, and considered putting the steamboat up for sale.[4] In 2013, the Julia Belle Swain was allowed to dock temporarily at Riverside Park in La Crosse.[5]
See also
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- Spirit of Peoria — boat that later replaced the Julia Belle Swain at Peoria, Illinois
- La Crosse Queen — boat that also docks at Riverside Park in La Crosse, 200 yards from Julia Belle Swain.
References
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- ↑ Julia Belle Swain to dock in Riverside Park temporarily
External links
- Julia Belle Swain at Steamboats.com
- Julia Belle Swain video at Steamboats.org
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