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PRESIDENT (Steamboat)
Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Former U.S. National Historic Landmark
Location Effingham, Illinois
Coordinates 39.00778°N 88.857915°WCoordinates: 39.00778°N 88.857915°W
Built 1924
Architect Midland Barge Co
Governing body Private
NRHP Reference # 89002460
Significant dates
Added to NRHP December 20, 1989[1]
Designated NHL December 20, 1989[2]
Removed from NRHP July 13, 2011
President was a steamboat that currently lies dismantled in Effingham, Illinois.[3] Originally named Cincinnati, it was built in 1924,[4] and is the only remaining "Western Rivers" style sidewheel river excursion steamboat in the United States.[2] She was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1989, though these designations were revoked in 2011.[2] Her home ports have been Cincinnati, Ohio, New Orleans, Louisiana, Vicksburg, Mississippi, St. Louis, Missouri and Davenport, Iowa.
History
Built in 1924 and then known as Cincinnati, she was originally an overnight packet boat that carried passengers and freight from Cincinnati, Ohio to Louisville, Kentucky. Her first trip was to New Orleans for Mardi Gras.
In 1929, she was acquired by the Streckfus Company which briefly continued her use as a packet boat, but then laid her up until 1932. Streckfus moved her to her new homeport of St. Louis, Missouri and over the next two years, the ship was converted to become the largest excursion boat in America. The entire superstructure was rebuilt in steel, and a two-deck-high ballroom was added, as well as a bandstand. It was also at this time that she received her new name, President.
Newly converted and newly named, she opened for business in 1934 and Streckfus advertised her as "the New 5 Deck Luxury Super Steamer, Biggest and Finest On The Upper Mississippi". She continued tramping (having no fixed schedule or published ports of call)[1] until 1941. In 1940, she was displaced from her position as flagship of the Streckfus line by the S.S. Admiral.
In 1941, she switched her home port to New Orleans. Because fuel oil was restricted and many of the young crewmen had joined the armed forces, tramping was discontinued, and the cruises stayed close to home. When World War II ended, she remained in New Orleans as a popular nightspot, featuring concerts by national acts such as U2, Cyndi Lauper, Men at Work, The Little River Band, and The Producers, and New Orleans performers like Dr. John, The Neville Brothers, and The Cold.[5]
Because the wind made maneuvering the big boat difficult, she had her two side wheels removed and replaced by 1,000 horsepower (750 kW) diesel engines in 1978.
She was sold in 1985 and returned to St. Louis as her homeport. While there, she was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark on Dec. 20, 1989.
On July 27, 2011 the Department of the Interior issued a press release that included the following line; "Finally, President, a steamboat in St. Elmo, Illinois, had its designation as a National Historic Landmark withdrawn because of a loss of historic integrity."[6][7] The ship was also removed from the National Register entirely.[8]
Casino
In 1990, President sailed her last dinner and dancing cruise before undergoing a ten million dollar renovation and conversion into a floating casino. She was purchased by what is now known as Isle of Capri Casinos. In 1991, Iowa legalized riverboat gambling and the President opened in Davenport, Iowa with 27,000 square feet (2,500 m2) of gaming space.[9] She was the second riverboat casino in the United States in modern times (opening 30 minutes after the first riverboat casino the M/V Diamond Lady opened in Bettendorf, Iowa which was owned by Bernie Goldstein).[10]
Current status
President retired from service in 1999 and was reported, in 2004, to be located on the Yazoo River in Mississippi. At that time, she was for sale by Isle of Capri Casinos.[11] She was also located for a time at Treasure Island in Lake McKellar at Memphis, Tennessee.
In January 2009 President was located in Alton, Illinois, where she was first listed by the National Park Service November 2007. She was then disassembled and moved in pieces to St. Elmo, Illinois, near Effingham.[12][13][14] Although local businesspeople hope to re-assemble her as a non-floating tourist attraction and hotel,[3][15] financing has yet to be secured while the vessel rusts as a heap of scrap metal.[16]
