Delta Queen's last voyage

The steamship Delta Queen is scheduled to arrive today Wednesday February 11th in Chattanooga TN. This historic vessel that has graced many of our Ohio River port cities may be completing her last voyage when she ties up today.

She departed New Orleans February 4th on a voyage that could close the final chapter in the vivid history of overnight steamboat travel on the Mississippi River system. Due to her wooden construction and the loss of a Congregational safety exemption she for a final tie with plans to develop her into a historic, floating boutique hotel.

The Delta Queen’s historic 865-mile journey has taken her across the Intercoastal Waterway and then up the Mobile River, the Tombigbee River, through the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway to the Tennessee River and then finally upstream to Chattanooga. The historic journey has passed ports of call like Mobile, AL; Demopolis, AL; Columbus, MS; Florence, AL; Decatur, AL; Huntsville, AL; Guntersville, AL; and South Pittsburg, TN. A daily journal of the trip with video highlights will be posted from onboard the Delta Queen (internet service permitting) at www.deltaqueenhistory.com.

There is a grass roots movement to Save the Queen and restore her exemption which would permit her to continue plying the inland waterways of America’s heartland. Visit www.save-the-delta-queen.org to discover how you can get involved.

Happy travels.