Mississippi (Towboat/Packet/Inspection boat, 1882-1919)

Date

• October 1, 1907

Summary

• BOAT DESCRIPTION: Sternwheel
• BOAT TYPE: Towboat/Packet/Inspection boat
• BUILT: 1882 at either Carondelet or St. Louis, Missouri
• BECAME: Piomingo
• FINAL DISPOSITION: Transferred to the U.S. Engineers, West Memphis, Arkansas in 1919 and renamed
• OWNERS: U.S. Mississippi River Commission; U.S. Engineering Department (1906)
• OFFICERS & CREW: Captain Grant Marsh (master, 1896); Captain Greenwell (master, 1907); L.H. Sanders (pilot, 1907); Captain John Crane (master, 1894); Captain Buck Tilden (master, circa 1894); Frank Cayton (pilot); Steve Greenwell (pilot)
• RIVERS: Mississippi River
• OTHER INFORMATION: Ways - 3975; T1837; She was used for inspection work on the Mississippi but functioned primarily as a towboat. In January 1893 she was partly burned at Paducah and rebuilt at St. Louis. In May 1896 she was caught in the tornado at St. Louis but came through it alright. In 1906 she was taken over by the USE at St. Louis along with most of the MRC fleet. In October 1907 President Theodore Roosevelt boarded her at Keokuk, Iowa and rode her to Memphis accompanied by many other steamers. The Mississippi continued in service to the USE until 1921 and was off the list by June 30, 1922
• PHOTO DESCRIPTION: The beginning of President Theodore Roosevelt's Mississippi River trip at Keokuk on October 1, 1907. The Mississippi is on the right; an unidentified boat is on the left