It would be so tragic if this boat docked permanently! If you've never cruised the river on a steamboat, you're missing a wonderful time. I've been on the Riverboat Natchez in New Orleans several times and each time was better than the last. I hope Congress will grant the exemption so we don't lose this piece of history.


Historic steamboat may be on last cruise - CNN.com

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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride!"

That's a really cool boat. When you show a picture of that around the world people will immediately say "Mississippi" or "Huckleberry Finn". I bet it has a lot of value for tourists.

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5% of the total surface of the Netherlands is used to grow hemp

We have the Delta Queen's twin here in Sacramento, The Delta King. They have a theatre, hotel, restaurant. But she don't go nowhere.

Anyway...good luck with the Queen, she's a national treasure. And if she's anything like ours she's still capable of generating revenue.
Sacramento Theatres in Old Sacramento Shows - Capital Stage Delta King Theatre Live

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After Big Media, U.S. colleges and universities are the biggest enemies of the values of red-state Americans...Phyllis Schlafly

You'll have to save this boat! Why is it impossible to make exemptions for it?
What a pity to loose even the last of those great wonders of the industrial age on those rivers.

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""Even though our unity is our strength, our diversity remains our wealth,""
Herman Van Rompuy

Twenty-five years ago, as part of the Grand Opening festivities for the Mud Island Waterfront Park in Memphis, I had the privilege of being aboard the Delta Queen as she defeated the Mississippi Queen in a race from Natchez to Memphis. The two captains, apparently by prearrangement, made certain that neither got out of sight of the other throughout the event, and the scenic race, which always included another riverboat, was gorgeous. The Delta Queen was actually much faster than the larger Mississippi Queen, and WE ultimately won the race by about a half-mile, and it was a terrific party!

I believe that the Mississippi Queen went out of service more than a decade ago. It would be a shame to lose the Delta Queen, too. The only other boats along the river are strictly local cruise boats. Nobody else can show you the whole river.

I'm definitely going to start writing letters to try and save this wonderful boat. Eric's right, it reminds most of us of Huck Finn and the Mississippi and well worth saving.
Malcolm, why doesn't the Delta King sail? Seems like such a waste to having her sit at the dock.
Slart, it may be politics that's preventing the exemptions. According to the story, they've been granted nine times already so I can't think of a reason why they shouldn't be again.
My late husband and I often talked about doing an overnight cruise on one of the riverboats but we never got around to it. I'm glad we at least got to do the evening cruises together. BTW, here's the picture that hangs above the sofa in my home:

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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride!"

Oh how fortunate you are! That's something I'm sure you'll never forget.

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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride!"

It's a few things I know of. The King lost it's regal elegance and was saddled up for freight around the turn of the century (1900) until the Port of Sacramento and Interstate 80 were built.

After that...she sat until the city waterfront was redeveloped in the 70's. She was never made cruiseworthy again because the old route she ran to the San Francisco Bay was lined with unsightly marshes, smelly oil refineries, aged WWII shipyards, and basically nothing nice to look at. A bloody shame.

So now she turns a tidy buck as the hotel, bar, theatre, and Old Sacramento wouldn't let her go. I've been below decks I really don't know what I was looking at, but the paddle works don't appear to be as polished as the rest of the ship.

There may be a reason she stays home that I don't know, structural maybe. But that's not good. I hope you guys don't let them dock the Queen. We gotta have something afloat representing that era. Our little Sacramento River lacks the historical importance of the Mississippi, Twain, The Civil War, on and on. If that river could talk.

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After Big Media, U.S. colleges and universities are the biggest enemies of the values of red-state Americans...Phyllis Schlafly

Its such a terribly famous symbol of the Mississippi, probably the most famous one, known around the world. Politicians should be really rethinking this all, if they can't find a compromise, that enables the ship to keep up the service, the entire region will loose a great symbol.

This issue made me wondering if there are still steam ships travelling on the Danube as I have not seen one for a long time and it seems there is also only one left anymore. It does only make special tours from time to time anymore and is called "Schönbrunn".

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""Even though our unity is our strength, our diversity remains our wealth,""
Herman Van Rompuy

At least the Delta King wasn't scrapped for firewood! I rather see it used the way it is than destroyed completely.

We can all help save the Delta Queen, even those of you that don't live here. She's such a beautiful and romantic piece of history that it'll be a shame to let politics destroy her.
Seven Ways You Can Help Us Save the Delta Queen

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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride!"

Wow! That's beautiful! Make sure you go on one of the tours before anything happens to her. And please, contact our congressmen and let them know you care what happens to the Queen. Maybe if they see worldwide interest they'll rethink their position.

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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride!"

I am not sure they will lend an ear to a nasty European in one of the southern states Whom should one contact btw?

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""Even though our unity is our strength, our diversity remains our wealth,""
Herman Van Rompuy

LOL Hopefully, they would recognize the worldwide interest in our history!

Here's a website with all the email addresses and fax numbers:

Complete E-Mail Addresses for Congress, Senate, Governors & State Legislators

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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride!"

Uff, and whom of them is the key player? Or shall I just randomly pick someone from Louisiana? I usually don't write American politicians so I have no idea who should be adressed

Btw, just because I am curious, do you have some steam trains in your state as well? In Vienna you can even rent one, in case you have too much money

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""Even though our unity is our strength, our diversity remains our wealth,""
Herman Van Rompuy

I've written to the senators and representatives from my state and sometime today will write to the ones in Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Iowa, Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. These are all states that the Mississippi River flows through so their officials should have an interest in it.

We still have some steam locomotives around but it's been years since one has come through my town. When I was a child, there was one that would stop at our depot on it's way to New Orleans and it usually drew a crowd. Even without knowing the schedule, we'd hear that distinct whistle and beg to go see it. I never did get to ride it though...

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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride!"