Showboat Majestic
Cincinnati, OH
The MAJESTIC ist the last active historic showboat on the rivers. Built in 1923 the MAJESTIC and the sternwheel toawboat ATTABOY were sold to the Indiana University in 1959 and travelled along the Ohio River until 1965 when the Coast Guard decided that the wooden hull was too decrepit for travel. The boats were tied up at Jeffersonville, IN, where shows continued to be presented on th epermanentely moored vessel until it was sold to Cincinnati in 1967, where the MAJESTIC is still being used as an old-time showboat today.
Cincinnati, OH
The MAJESTIC ist the last active historic showboat on the rivers. Built in 1923 the MAJESTIC and the sternwheel toawboat ATTABOY were sold to the Indiana University in 1959 and travelled along the Ohio River until 1965 when the Coast Guard decided that the wooden hull was too decrepit for travel. The boats were tied up at Jeffersonville, IN, where shows continued to be presented on th epermanentely moored vessel until it was sold to Cincinnati in 1967, where the MAJESTIC is still being used as an old-time showboat today.
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I think it was 1968 or '69 when the MAJESTIC got her new steel hull at Tucker Marine. It didn't come any too soon, as that old wooden hull, dating from 1923, was decrepit. Capt. Roddy Hammett said that someone came running over to the DQ one night and asked if they could borrow a bilge pump because the showboat was sinking! Roddy explained that everything on the DQ was steam, but he went over to see what he could do. He saw several actors down in the hold, frantically bailing water. Help came from somewhere and the MAJESTIC was saved, but the new owners knew they were living on borrowed time and the new steel hull was installed soon thereafter
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It was 1970 when the new steel hull was placed under the old wooden hull.Original hull dimensions were 120'L x 29'W. New hull size was 135'L x 40'W.
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S&D attendees viewed a clip showing the present MAJESTIC showboat here being floated in her new steel hull down at TUCKER MARINE on Kellogg Ave. [*Cap'n Bill Judd may remember the year it was done.] I saw the hull being welded but not the 'float in' of the boat itself. It was a miserably cold day with snow when the two were matched. I'd dare risk an opinion that showboats as we know them are a totally American phenomenon and creation.
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