The Delta Queen - Haunted Paddle Steamer?

Photo Credit: Velo Steve (Creative Commons)

The idea of spending the night in a haunted hotel is one that appeals to many. The Delta Queen Steamboat allows fans of the weird to take that pleasure one step further and combine it with a cruise along the Mississippi River on a romantic steamboat.

History

The Delta Queen was brought into operation in 1927 by the Delta Queen Steamboat Company, co-founded by Mary B and Gordon C Greene. Mary was one of the first licensed riverboat pilots on the Mississipi and the Queen became her home.

The boat has had a number of owners since then and is currently owned by Majestic America Line. In 2004 she was inducted into the National Maritime Hall of Fame.

The Queen currently travels the rivers of the Midwest and the South, stopping at many port towns including New Orleans, Galveston, Memphis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Nashville and St. Louis. There are many themed cruises, often with a typically Southern style.

The Ghost

Mary B Greene was a strong supporter of the temperance movement and she forbade the selling or drinking of liquor on the Delta Queen. After her death in 1949, this policy was changed and a bar installed. However soon after the bar opened, a barge crashed into the side of the Queen - right into the bar. As if that wasn't enough of a hint, the barge responsible was named the "Mary B".

It seems that Mary B Green had decided to remain in the place she had called home for many years. Many crew and tourists have experienced strange sounds in what was once her cabin.Other people have reported seeing an elderly lady who matches the description of Mary B.

It seems though that the old captain has learned to live with the modern world. Most people describe her as a benevolent ghost who encompasses the spirit of the old cruise days and still looks out for the welfare of one of the last remaining grand paddle wheelers.

Future

As I type (Jan 2008) the future of the Delta Queen is in doubt. In August 2007 the ship's owners, Majestic Delta Line, announced that she would cease operations by the end of 2008. A campaign has been launched to save the boat: Save The Delta Queen. If this fails, 2008 could be your last chance to book for a vacation on this historic landmark.

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