Tuesday, August 26, 2025

W. F. Hogard Remember's Marion

This interesting article was from The Crittenden Press, May 27, 1921, and titled "Marion".  It doesn't say the year that Mr. Hogard was speaking of in his article, but it had to be in the very early days. 


I have known Marion all of my life. My father J. P. Hogard came here on horse back to the old horse mill when Marion was not a town, not even a village, only the old mill and one residence. the first time that I can remember coming to Marion was on an ox cart with four bags of corn across the front bolster.


Some of the men I learned to know were David Stinson, Judge Wager, Cub Bigham, William Carnahan, and Mr. Douglas who kept the tavern on the corner where Douglas Carnahan now sells goods, Robert Fulton Haynes, J. W. Blue Sr., Nathan R. Black, J. N. Woods who sold goods on the corner where the Farmers Bank is located, Charlie Higginbottham, who ran a saloon where the Marion Bank is, W. N. Rochester, Hick and R. N. Walker and other whose names I can not recall. Most all these men were highly respected.


I never did like the business of the Higginbothams and never had much admiration for Judge Wager.


For the first time that I came to church here was in the old brick out by the old grave yard, so called then. The house was well filled and I sat by Judge Wager. While H. M. Ford was preaching Judge Wager turned and spat on me. A thing I have not forgotten to this day. Then I was sure that town people looked down on country people.


Some way country people get to believe that people in town think themselves about them. But this is a mistaken idea. They may be a few now and then who really think so but they are few only and these few are rather to be pitied than blamed. For the salvation of this county, socially, religiously and politically depends largely on the great common people, most of whom live in the country.


Marion is the county seat of Crittenden County, the only town of any size in the county. It is here that all litigation's etc., have to be settled, the great common center.  The town people can not get along without the country people, nor can the country people get along so well without the town people. It must be mutual, we must live to benefit each other.


I have lived in several counties in the state and none of these counties have a better citizenship than Crittenden. Take the families like the Hunt, Paris, Wheeler, Travis, Crider, Dowell, Rankin, Baker, Hughes, Adams, Walker, Hill, Minner Hodges, Asher, Sullenger, Pickens, Deboe, Lamb, Wilson, Crayne, Guess, Gass, Cook, Daughtrey, Conger, Dean, Gahagen, Postlethweight, Franklin, Wilborn, Carter, Conger, Harpending, Ordway Pogues, and space will not allow me to call the names of families whose names stand for good citizenship.


Then we have in Marion a citizenship equal to the best. The Marion bar is made up of good citizenship, the Moores, Henderson, Bennett, Rochester, Blue, Nunn, Deboe.


Marion merchants are all good citizens as well as good business men. In fact in all walks of life no town will excel Marion for citizenship.

Marion can be made one of the most beautiful town in Western Kentucky. Let our motto be United we stand, divided we fall. Let us all put our shoulders to the wheel and push.


W. F. Hogard

Monday, August 18, 2025

Crittenden Press Marion's Oldest Business now at 146 yrs.

 The article first appeared in The Crittenden Press on October 11, 2001, it was for Marion's Sesquicentennial Guide.  At the time the Press was 122 years old.

A chronological history

The City of Marion's oldest business wasn't around when the city was created in 1851, but if it were, you can bet the city's incorporation would have been on the front page of The Crittenden Press.

Its establishment in 1879 makes The Crittenden Press the oldest, continuously operated Marion business.  A close second is Henry and Henry Monuments, which began two years later. 

The Crittenden Press was founded by R. C. Walker. In those first days, it's hard to imagine the long, painstaking process required to produce even a few lines of type, not to mention several pages eight columns wide.

History of the business has been passed down to each of the eight owners, including the descendants of Evers Mick, whose family continues to publish the weekly newspaper and The Early Bird Shopper's Guide.

According to history, the newspaper was distributed to as few as 200 subscribers in 1879.  Growth was rapid, as subscriptions reached 500 the first few years and 1,800 by 1894.

Like the county's growth in the last 50 years, The Crittenden Press' growth has been steady.  Circulation today in 4,300.

Walter Walker succeeded his father, R. C. Walker, as publisher of The Crittenden Pr ess.  He was followed by S. M. Jenkins and W. F. Hogard and his son Wilson Hogard.

 The Hogards sold the newspaper to J. Brown, who owned it until 1955 when it was purchased by Charles Pepper.

Current ownership by the Mick family started in 1960, when Evers Mick branched out of his role as a radio announcer in Madisonville to embark on a career in print media.

Evers Mick, was editor and publisher for nearly 10 years, with assistance from his wife, Lucille, and high school-age son - a 1969 graduate of Murray State University - took the reins.

While Lucille Mick was not involved in the day-to-day operation of The Crittenden Press between 1969 and her death in 1989, she maintained close ties to the family business helping out in the newspaper office from time to time. 

 Through the 1970's and 1980s, a third generation of Micks, Allison, was introduced to the newspaper.  As a teenager, she took photographs, worked in the darkroom and delivered newspapers.

Paul Mick published the newspaper until his tragic murder in 1990.  At that time, John Lucas, a long-time Press editor, took over daily operations.  Mick's wife, Nancy, remained as the company president and eventually took over as publisher in 1993.

Also in 1993, Ms. Mick hired Chris Evans to become just the second editor in more than 20 years at the newspaper. Evans had worked at The Press in the late 1980s as a reporter before joining the Paducah Sun staff.  He returned to Crittenden County and married Paul and Nancy Mick's oldest daughter, Allison.   

A strong commitment to community news and professional reporting is testament to The Crittenden Press' longevity. 

Early Pictures of The Crittenden Press office when it was in the basement on East Carlisle St.


 

Monday, August 11, 2025

Church Gatherings of Long Ago

 Those wonderful old days when church gatherings were so special and a much looked forward to event.  

This wonderful old picture is worth a thousand words.  It was shared by Orville Truitt.  The time period was from 1908-1912 and possibly a homecoming at the old Mt. Zion Church.  His grandfather, Marvin Truitt, is the middle man in front with a guitar.

All the folks are dressed in their Sunday go-to-meeting clothes, men, women and children gathered around the wooden tables laden with food and listening to the music.  

Here are a couple of those events taken from the archives of The Crittenden Press. 

July 1913 - Children's Day at Mt. Zion

Sunday morning at an early hour wagons, buggies, horseback and footbackers began to arrive till several hundred people had gathered, then came the auto with R. Kemp as driver with some of Marion's best citizens as passengers. 

 

At 9:30 the house was called to order by the pastor Rev. J. A. Wheeler. He introduced Rev. W. Pl Gordon of Marion, and with eloquence he addressed the people for about fifteen minutes.

 

A song by the choir. Bro Wheeler called for prayer by Bro. Th. H. Cochran The program was then turned over to the children. The session represented the highest morals of literal and spiritual life.

 

At 12:15 in the beautiful grove such as surrounds a county church, dinner was spread. Some wondered how this multitude could be fed, it was like the five loaves and fishes, there were plenty of as fine dinner as the writer ever saw, and everybody seemed to enjoy it.

 

The day was closed by Sister Duvall who by this time was so filled with the holy ghost that she gave us an old fashioned holy ghost talk. To say the least of it we had an all around good time that will dwell with the memory through time and eternity.

***

Sept. 11, 1913 - County Singing Convention

The county singing convention met at Repton Church Saturday. A large crowd was present, and the exercises were opened by singing by Repton choir followed by devotional exercises by Rev. B. F. Hyde, who also delivered the welcome address.

 

Cave Springs choir then took charge of the singing. This choir did good singing and showed they had good training. They were followed by Rosebud choir who also delivered some excellent music led by Desmond Crowell. 

 

After a song by the entire congregation, the choir from the Second Baptist Church, of Marion, with George Gass as leader were next, and many comments were made upon the spirit with which they sang. This was followed by a recitation “The Gift of God to Fallen Man” by Miss Lockie Powell, and Mrs. E. M. Duvall made an interesting talk on the “Blessings of Music.” 

 

More music followed by Messrs. Travis, Crowell, O'Neal and Crowell, and a solo by Guthrie Travis.

Friday, July 25, 2025

A Look Back at 1985, 40 years ago in 2025

 

A Look Back at 1985

The year 1985, that sure doesn't sound like all that long ago, but in reality it is now 40 years ago. Hard to believe that the years have gone by so quickly. Let's take a look back at some of the things that were happening in that year through the pages of The Crittenden Press.\

January

* Weather dominates the front pages during the first of the new year. Temperatures in the county plunged to 20 degrees below-zero or colder as an arctic cold front moved through western Kentucky dumping an additional two to five inches of snow on the area. Strong winds produced a wind chill of 50 to 60 below zero. Heavy rains from last fall and now cold and snow have kept farmers from finishing the work of harvesting their crops.

* Councilman Bernard Wood became mayor following the resignation from that post of Bobby R. Fox, who had served as plant accountant at Marion's Moore business Forms, who plans to move to that company’s administrative unit at Dento, Teas.

* The first baby of the new year was born at Crittenden County hospital on Jan. 3rd, 1985. Mr. and Mrs. Paul E. Wheeler were the proud parents of Troy Woodson Wheeler.

* Gas dips below $1.00 at area stations. For the first time in about seven years, gasoline prices in Marion have dipped below a dollar a gallon. I was surprised to see it get back under a dollar, said Randall Chandler, operator of Randall's Repair on South Main Street. Chandler lowered his price to 99.9 cents a gallon for full-service regular last week.

* Crittenden County students have already missed 16 days of classes this month due to bad weather and slick roads and will probably be in school until mid June.

February

* Continuing cold temperatures have created floating and slushy ice in the Ohio River.

* The week of Feb. 14th, brought six to eight more inches of show accompaniment by 30 mile per hour winds which whipped up to four to six feet high in some sections, closed some roads, shut down schools and interrupted businesses and postal services.

* Two long-term projects finally see some good results. The Crittenden-Livingston Water District finally secured funding to begin construction and the first public event was held in the newly -renovated Fohs Hall.

* For the first time in three years, the United States Postal Service is raising its rates. It will now cost .22 cents to mail a letter.

March

* Three New businesses open in Marion. 1. Sport It, offered uniforms and equipment for ball teams. It was owned and operated by Kathy and Jeff Allen and Edna Thurmond, and was located on East Bellville Street in the site formerly occupied by Granny's Kitchen. 2. Nick's Restaurant owned and operated by Nick Hatfield was located in the former Cruce's Coachman on the Princeton Road and 3. Hook's Drugstore opened in Marion's Darben Plaza. Donald Perry was the store's pharmacist and the pharmacy was to be equipped with the latest state-of-the-art pharmacy computer.

* Marion's Beaver's Brothers Texaco will be flying a new company flag within six months, according to co-owner Jerry Beavers. Texaco notified Beavers, that it is planning on closing most of its stations in Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois because of heavy competition. We've been with “Texaco for 25 years, and it's be a pretty big change for us, said Beavers. They will still sell Texaco brand motor oil and grease, but will find a new gasoline and diesel fuel supplier.

April -

* Wind gusts estimated at up to 50 miles per hour downed power lines in the county, interrupting electrical service to about 100 households serviced by Henderson-Union RECC.

May

* State closes Marietta's Cafe, owned by Marieta Stallins of Marion, has been closed by the Kentucky Division of Unemployment Insurance for alleged non-payment of more than $2,000.00in taxes.

* Chrysler Corp. dealership is slated to open here April 1st. It will occupy the former J. R. Chevrolet-Buick-Chrysler location on on the Sturgis Road. Larry Buckman, is general manager for the dealership.

June

* Business continues as usual this week for Marion's Potter and Brumfield plant even though it was “sold” Friday when a Minneapolis, Minn. based company achieved a buy out of its parent, AMF. The sale of the AMF stock was agreed to after Minstar sweetened its original offer. AMF spokesmen also had no projections on what might happen to any of its various divisions.

* The long awaited boat ramp construction project at old Lock and Dam 50 may be completed within three weeks, according to a representative of Louisville's Kamex Construction Co.

July

* Two drown swimming in Ohio River. Two Tolu residents – Shannon Wade Todd, 20, and his 12 year old nephew, Larry Kenneth Todd, drowned Monday evening while swimming in the Ohio River at the old Elizabetown ferry landing.

* Our community was saddened this by the passing of Dellar E. Woodall. By the measure of most, Mr. Woodall, 99, had observed the happenings of Crittenden County for a long time. Maybe his greatest days were when he was a custodian for the Marion school system. More than one graduating class adopted him as one of its own. Many of the leaders of the community testify of the the time, Mr. Woodall, although not a member of the faculty, taught them a lesson more important than history or geometry. His texts covered subject such as integrability, honesty and hard work.

* Marion's Police Chief William Ollie Brown, is Kentucky's longest serving police chief. When Brown was named, chief in 1957, there were only three full-time officers in Marion. Brown said the city had no radio communications system, there was no dispatcher. When an officer had to leave his post to check out a complaint or crime, there was no way to get in touch with the police until he returned to the telephone.

August

* Deputy Sheriff, Perry Glore unloaded marijuana at the Marion landfill where it was burned. The truckload of pot, cut by officers on Weston Road north of Marion was valued at $40,000.

October

* Work began Marion's new Shell convenience store to be located at the corner of Main and Bellville Streets, also included will be new quarters for Goodwin-Lynn Insurance and Myers Auto Parts.

November

* Democrat John May wins election, over incumbent Judge H. M. “Roni” Asbridge to win a four-year term as Crittenden County's chief elected official. Deputy Sheriff Perry Glore, a Republican, beat his Democratic opponent Ronald “Red” Howton and Republican County Clerk Danny won his post for another four years over his Democratic challenger Troy Jennings.

* The Crittenden County High School Rocket football squad amassed a 13-1 record for the season to claim the state Class A Football championship downing Paintsville in play at Louisville's Cardinal Stadium.

December

* Potter and Brumfield officials confirmed this week the company, including the Marion plant, is to be bought by Siemens A. G. a West German electronic company which already has a umber of U. S. subsidiaries.

* Boyce Moodie announced he had purchased the former Frontier Spar Co. and was preparing to reopen that mine located near Salem.

***

A look back in our past always brings back memories, sometimes good and other times not so good.

Friday, July 18, 2025

Liquor Laws Defied

 

Liquor Laws Defied – January 7, 1921

According to the Gov. Edwin P. Morrow, in an address to the Association of Circuit Judges and Commonwealth Attorneys, moon-shining and bootlegging are rampant in Kentucky, and the violations of the liquor laws are such as to challenge all of the forces of law and order.

 

"Illicit manufacture and sale of liquor has grown to an appalling extent" he said. There is today a challenge being thrown out to the forces of law and order in Kentucky, he told them, "So far as the sale and manufacture of it is concerned there has never been anything like it before." I ask the Circuit Judges of Kentucky to meet this challenge, I will help in as much as I can. I will go to the utmost of my power fighting this evil and in sustaining you. No man convicted of participating in the whiskey traffic will find any clemency at my hands."

 

Which shall be supreme in this state, the Law or the Blind Tiger?

(Blind tiger is a place where liquor is sold illegally. This term was popular during the Prohibition Era (1920-33) when alcohol was illegal in the U.S.)


It was also rampant here in our own Marion and Crittenden County. I found many, many items and articles in the old Crittenden Presses telling about the struggle to stop the manufacturing and selling of the bootleg liquor. I’ll share just a few in this post and maybe more in a later post. I find them interesting to read about this era of our past history.

*******************

Crittenden Press, Oct. 2, 1925 – Case Of Booze In Monument Shop?

A supply of alleged liquor, supposedly being stocked for disposal on circus day, was accidentally discovered last Friday night about ten o’clock by Policemen Joe Barnes and Hugh Norris. The officers were doing some sleuthing in the vacant lot behind the marble shop of Henry and Henry and saw Press Hill leave the back door of the shop, it is alleged.

 

A casual glance revealed to them a dark object in the door and officer Norris turned on his flashlight and saw a man whom he recognized as Kenna Powell just inside the open door by a box that was partly open and the opening displayed some bottles in neat rows, and asked him what he was doing there at that time of the night.

 

Just at this time it is alleged that Howard Henry walked in and was asked by the officer what was in the box. He is said to have denied any knowledge of the contents. While they were thus engaged in the questioning and replies Kenna Powell made his escape.

 

The three men were later taken in custody on warrants charging them with illegal possession of liquor, it is said. Hill and Powell were released on $500 bonds each and Henry on his own recognizance. The trio is to appear for trial Saturday.

 

There is said to have been thirty-two half pints of liquor in the case, which was placed in the custody of County Judge E. Jeffrey Travis.


Oct. 9, 1925 – Jury Orphans The Case of Booze

Last Saturday occurred the trials of the three men charged with the possession of the case of alleged liquor found by Policeman Norris and Barnes on Friday night of the previous week.

 

Howard Henry was the first on to face the jury and conducted his own defense. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.

 

Press Hill next presented his case to the courts. County Judge E. Jeffrey Travis presiding. He bound the defendant over to the Nov. grand jury.

 

Kenna Powell was tried before a jury, also conducting his own defense, and the jury was unable to agree, after which the commonwealth dismissed the case.


**************

April 5, 1929 – Sheriff Bing in "Shiner’s" Plant

County officers who searched the farm of Geo. H. Brooks Tuesday night confiscated and brought to Marion a portion of a still, some "moonshine" liquor and mash which was found concealed in the woods on the Brooks farm.

 

The raid was made at about midnight by Sheriff P. R. Taylor, Deputy B. F. Walker and Special Deputy C. F. Conger. In addition to the still over two gallons of liquor, about 400 gallons of mash, a quantity of meal and about 500 pounds of sugar were found.

 

No arrests were made as the still was deserted. It is believed that the owner of the farm did not know that the still was in operation on his place.

 

The Brooks farm is located on the Mexico and Caldwell Springs road about two and a half miles from Mexico.

****************

April 22, 1927 – Officers Take 3 Stills and Mash

Sheriff and Deputies Make Raids on Three Stills and Capture One Man

 

During the past week several stills have been raided in Crittenden County and quantities of mash found in every case.

 

W. H. Hardesty, justice of the peace in the Tolu magisterial district, together with B. F. Walker, Fred Hill and George Holloman raided the farm of Buckner Croft near Tolu last Friday, April 15, and found a still that had been in recent operation. The still was of forty gallon capacity and with it was found 350 gallons of mash.

 

No arrests have been made in the case but it is suspected that the moonshiner lives on the other side of the river.

 

Last Saturday night Sheriff P. R. Taylor with deputy B. F. Walker raided the J. H. King farm near Cookseyville and discovered one gallon whiskey and one hundred gallons of mash. The discovery was made in the woods on the back of the farm and the mash and whiskey was covered with a quantity of cedar brush. No arrest were made.

 

Sheriff Taylor with Deputy Walker and Chief of Police Hugh Norris located a still in Charlie Bob Sanders’ smokehouse on the Tradewater river Monday night. The still was of thirty-five gallon capacity and with it was found one hundred gallons of mash and five gallons of whiskey.. Sanders was placed under arrest and is now in jail at Marion awaiting trial.

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Blacks Add to History of Marion

 

This interesting article is from the "Special Historical Supplement" of the Crittenden Press, December 7, 1972

As has been previously noted, a large number of free black people were citizens of Marion.  This was largely due to the fact that most of the County's early landowners did not condone slavery as it was practiced in the deep south, but as sort of an indenture servitude or apprenticeship. 

 After the death of their personal masters many of the former slaves were freed by provisions of their wills as is witnessed by the fact many of the local black people have the same family names as many of the early Crittenden County settlers.

Joined by many others from  Virginia and Tennessee after the end of the Civil War, the black people moved into Marion and settled in the undeveloped section of the town nearest the places of employment of the trades in which they had become quite expert during slavery.  These trades were the handling of tobacco, mineral mill work, garden farming and all types of domestic service.

About 1890, Herrod Travis organized the men who had experience in air-cured brickmaking into a company which produced most of the "soft" brick used in Marion construction before 1911.

 Travis' ownership of a large part of what is now the north-western corner of Marion plus the nearness of Walker & Wilson Company's tobacco factory caused the formation of the North Marion black neighborhood.

The alleyway where the Kiln was located later widened into a street and was named Travis Street in his honor.

(Somehow someone thought to make a picture of the Travis kiln, or it may be his home, I'm not sure which, before it was torn down, this means a lot in helping preserve our past history.)


Herrod Travis is buried in the Old Black Cemetery, located at the very end of N. Weldon St. in the wooded area. His tombstone reads King Herod Travis.


Saturday, June 28, 2025

River Brought First People to Crittenden

Rivers and Paddle Wheeler From Yesteryear

The following recollection was told to Bob M. Wheeler by his father, Floyd Clark Wheeler as they went on boating trips on the Ohio when Mr. Wheeler was game warden for the county.

 

Before Navigational Dams 50 and 51 and the dikes on the Ohio were constructed, the current of the Ohio bounced off Battery Rock on the Illinois bank, then swung southwest to the Kentucky bank where the Tradewater added to its onward rush.

 

The residue from the two rivers formed a large earth and rock bar on the Illinois side opposite what was to become Weston. This bar extended down river in sandbars with the end being at the present Dam 50 site.

 

This bar forced the river into a narrow canal-like channel that hugged the Kentucky bank until the waters from Camp Creek merged with the Ohio. It then bounced off Cottonpatch Hill and slowly swung northwest to hug the Illinois bank past the Cave-In-Rock bluff. This formed a natural crossing place for larger grazing animals on there way to the Saline River Valley salt licks in southern Illinois.

 

Down from Cave In Rock was the formation of huge sand bars, which later became McKinley Island. The river then bounced off the Tower Rock out-jutting to slant southwest thru the narrow channel between the McKinley bars and the head bar of Hurricane Island. This passage was the one feared most by captains of mercantile flatboats. They would even hire local pilots at Cave In Rock to maneuver their boats through the rough passage.

 

At Hurricane Island, the Ohio struck the Kentucky bank a little above what is now called Hurricane Creek. The creek added more swift water to the river's flow. It was just below the mouth of Hurricane Creek that a Revolutionary War pensioner of Virginia, Robert Kirk, set up a flatboat dock on his land grant. The site was very near today's equipment transfer point from the Tolu Landing to Hurricane Island. It became knows as Kirksville and it was the only dock marked in what is now Crittenden County on the early Ohio River navigational charts.

 

Below Kirksville, the Ohio channel rushed down on the south side of Hurricane Island, (the opposite of today's flow which resulted by the constructional of navigational dams), and curved its way around the west tip of the island, before taking a northwestward turn to bounce off the Illinois side below Elizabethtown.

 

It would have been extremely difficult for the first pioneers of Crittenden County to land and dock these flatboats, which contained fragile household and farming equipment of the early years, without expert piloting. The supplying of the settlers who had pioneered what was to be Crittenden County was done overland, and soon became a profitable market to many advanced-type commercial flatboats. So enterprising pioneers like Robert Kirk and George Flynn at Weston took advantage of ownership of natural harbors to provide docks for this trade.

***

After reading and learning about some of the early history of the the Ohio River let's recall some of the wonderful and nostalgic, steamboats that plied these rough and rowdy waters of long ago.

 

Of the early steamboat captains and boat owners, few names rated higher than the names of Judge Wiley Fowler's sons. Famous boats bore their names: the Joe Fowler, the Gus Fowler, and the Dick Fowler. 

 


The Joe Fowler was named for Captain Joseph Fowler and was the most popular packet on the river. She made regular trips with passengers and freight from Louisville to Pittsburgh and she was always in demand for Madri Gras season for the trip to New Orleans. The Joe Fowler was the fastest stern-wheeler on western waters. The shanty boat dwellers dreaded to see her coming, because she threatened their tiny boat-home that dotted the rivers for many years. Not only did the Joe Fowler carry passengers and mail, but she carried freight. 

 

Despite the fact that the Joe Fowler was a hard working boat, both she and the Dick Fowler were luxuriously furnished for passengers and live bands provided music for dancing each evening.

 


Another excursion boat owned by the Fowlers was the Idlewilde. Her river excursions were a popular event. Instrumental bands of the time were on board to provide entertainment and music for dancing on the Ohio. She made regular stops at all the landings along this area. 

 


In the early 1900's, Mr. W. B. Wilborn, the Fowler's agent at Fords Ferry, advertised summer excursion on the steamers Joe Fowler and John S. Hopkins. He wrote that one should take advantage of the extra low rates and enjoy the most pleasant trip offered on inland waters. Boats duly furnished and have all appointments. Orchestra on board. The fare, with berth and meals, from Fords Ferry to Paducah and return is $2.50 for the round trip, and from Fords Ferry to Evansville is $3.00 for the round trip. 

 

It is fascinating to think about the steamers stopping at all the landings along the Ohio that we are familiar with, from Weston, and Fords Ferry to Clementsburg, Cave-In-Rock, Tolu, Rosiclare, Carrsville, and E'town landings. What a bustling and wonderful sight it must have been. 

 

Many other excursion boats also operated on the rivers and the showboats announced their arrival to all the local towns with booming calliopes and she cruised down the river, the music bouncing off the hills at Weston and Cave In Rock and echoing down the river. 

 

The Delta Queen when she was docked at Cave-In-Rock in 2008.

(note: I was fortunate enough a few times, before the historic Delta Queen was docked for good in Oct. 2008, to hear the calliope as she docked at Cave-in-Rock landing and as she took off and resumed her trip down the river. It is something I will never forget, and makes you long to hear it once again and to see the great paddle wheel churning the river as she moved away.)

***