Last Riverboat's Last Year

In Tennessee, on the Cumberland River, the Delta Queen was said to be grounded in 2008. The 81-year-old ship's owner, the Majestic American Line, said it could not get Congress to grant them an exemption from the 1966 Safety at Sea Act. The Act states the wooden boats are not allowed more than 50 overnight passengers. The boat is made mostly of wood except for steel hull. Representative James L. Oberstar says that is one of the reasons. He says the fact that it is mostly wood could cause problems like fires, also because the Delta Queen was seeking its 10th exemption.

Joseph McCarthy, general counsel for Ambassadors International, says that the Delta Queen could become a day cruise only or a floating hotel if the exemption is not granted. Steve Chabot, a representative from Cincinnati, says that the Delta Queen is a national historic treasure and that there has never been a fire injury. So if these statements were made confirming that fire is not an issue, The Delta Queen should keep running.

During World War II, many riverboats were made to transport troops on the west coast. The Delta Queen was built in 1926 to transport cargo and passengers along California rivers. The boats helped to bring supplies to the troops in a faster way. Riverboat Racing was also popular in the late 1800s to early 1900s.