John Streckfus began his small Acme Company in 1889 with one wooden packet boat, the steamer Verne Swain, out of Rock Island, Illinois, carrying people and goods on the Mississippi River. His business grew, but each year brought competition from the growing railroads. He decided that excursion boats were the only way to compete. He built the steamer J.S. in 1901 and "tramped" her from town to town offering excursions and dance cruises. By 1910, the company comprised four boats and an office in St. Louis and offered excursion cruises on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. The flagship, the steamer... Read More
Formats
Paperback
🚛 Ground shipping arrival between Wednesday, March 26 and Tuesday, April 01.
Free returns. Free Economy shipping on orders $50+.
John Streckfus began his small Acme Company in 1889 with one wooden packet boat, the steamer Verne Swain, out of Rock Island, Illinois, carrying people and goods on the Mississippi River. His business grew, but each year brought competition from the growing railroads. He decided that excursion boats were the only way to compete. He built the steamer J.S. in 1901 and "tramped" her from town to town offering excursions and dance cruises. By 1910, the company comprised four boats and an office in St. Louis and offered excursion cruises on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. The flagship, the steamer... Read More
John Streckfus began his small Acme Company in 1889 with one wooden packet boat, the steamer Verne Swain, out of Rock Island, Illinois, carrying people and goods on the Mississippi River. His business grew, but each year brought competition from the growing railroads. He decided that excursion boats were the only way to compete. He built the steamer J.S. in 1901 and "tramped" her from town to town offering excursions and dance cruises. By 1910, the company comprised four boats and an office in St. Louis and offered excursion cruises on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. The flagship, the steamer Admiral, was far above the others. She provided excursions, fun, and memories for almost 40 years.
Details
Pages: 128
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Imprint: Arcadia Publishing
Series: Images of America
Publication Date: 27th March 2017
State: Missouri
Illustration Note: Black and White
ISBN: 9781467125086
Format: Paperback
BISACs: TRANSPORTATION / Ships & Shipbuilding / Pictorial TRANSPORTATION / Ships & Shipbuilding / History PHOTOGRAPHY / Subjects & Themes / Historical HISTORY / United States / State & Local / Midwest (IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI)
Author Bio
Annie Amantea Blum has lived close to the river in St. Louis, Missouri, all of her life. She is a retired teacher and school counselor and author. She worked for 16 summers on the steamer Admiral, the most wonderful excursion boat on the Mississippi River. The pictures in her book come from St. Louis Mercantile Library on the campus of the University of Missouri'St. Louis, which houses the Streckfus Papers, and from the personal collection of her husband, Capt. Jim Blum.
John Streckfus began his small Acme Company in 1889 with one wooden packet boat, the steamer Verne Swain, out of Rock Island, Illinois, carrying people and goods on the Mississippi River. His business grew, but each year brought competition from the growing railroads. He decided that excursion boats were the only way to compete. He built the steamer J.S. in 1901 and "tramped" her from town to town offering excursions and dance cruises. By 1910, the company comprised four boats and an office in St. Louis and offered excursion cruises on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. The flagship, the steamer Admiral, was far above the others. She provided excursions, fun, and memories for almost 40 years.
Pages: 128
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Imprint: Arcadia Publishing
Series: Images of America
Publication Date: 27th March 2017
State: Missouri
Illustrations Note: Black and White
ISBN: 9781467125086
Format: Paperback
BISACs: TRANSPORTATION / Ships & Shipbuilding / Pictorial TRANSPORTATION / Ships & Shipbuilding / History PHOTOGRAPHY / Subjects & Themes / Historical HISTORY / United States / State & Local / Midwest (IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI)
Annie Amantea Blum has lived close to the river in St. Louis, Missouri, all of her life. She is a retired teacher and school counselor and author. She worked for 16 summers on the steamer Admiral, the most wonderful excursion boat on the Mississippi River. The pictures in her book come from St. Louis Mercantile Library on the campus of the University of Missouri'St. Louis, which houses the Streckfus Papers, and from the personal collection of her husband, Capt. Jim Blum.
