For the first time in more than 125 years, a riverboat carrying passengers up and down the Mississippi River will make a stop in Kimmswick.
The American Duchess, one of four vessels operated by the American Queen Steamboat Co. of New Albany, Ind., is set to tie up at the new port in Kimmswick at about 8 a.m. Sunday, July 11.
Then, the 145 or so passengers and crew of 83 will disembark to much pomp and circumstance.
“I’ll greet the American Duchess with my top hat on,” said Kimmswick Mayor Phil Stang. “Members of the Kimmswick Historical Society will be dressed in historic garb. We’ll have the Windsor High School band there to play, and there will be singers and a plethora of local politicians here. We’re going all out to make sure we make a good impression.”
In May, the American Duchess
stopped for a dry run at the port, which was still under construction, and company officials saw enough to bring the boat back, this time with paying customers, to christen the port.
“Our team has been overwhelmed with the enthusiasm of the community to welcome our guests with open arms,” said Michael Hicks, a spokesman for the American Queen firm. “Discovering communities like Kimmswick, steeped in history and tradition connected to the river, are what make our river cruises so appealing to guests seeking uniquely American river experiences.”
The paddlewheeler is scheduled to start its cruise in Louisville, Ky., and make several stops along the way, including Kimmswick. It is set to depart Kimmswick at 5 p.m. and then head to Alton, Ill., and then on to St. Paul, Minn.
The passengers won’t want for activities in Kimmswick.
Tour buses will take them to the Kimmswick Historical Society Museum and three other Kimmswick destinations – the Anheuser Museum and Estate, the Burgess-How House and LaChance Vineyards. In addition, the bus will take them to the Mastodon State Historic Site in Imperial.
Diane Nagy, president of the Historical Society, said a historian from the group will be stationed at each bus to provide commentary on what’s coming up on the tour.
“And, of course, they (boat passengers) will be able to shop in Kimmswick,” she said. “We have been working hand-in-hand with the Merchants Association to make sure it’s a memorable experience.”
Neal Breitweiser, executive director of the Jefferson County Port Authority, which will operate the dock, said a contract has been signed with the American Queen to bring a boat for three trial run stops in Kimmswick this year.
“It will be an evaluation period, but if things go well, I hope we’ll be seeing the American Duchess, the American Queen (the company’s flagship vessel that carries 420 passengers) and the new American Countess in Kimmswick for many years to come,” he said.
Hicks said all the stops will be for about the same duration, to allow passengers time to investigate what Kimmswick has to offer.
Nagy said the Historical Society is happy to be part of such a momentous event.
“This is a historical moment, and that’s what we’re about,” she said. “Kimmswick’s story goes back to the 1850s. It was a destination for boats going up and down the river. It also used to be a place where people from St. Louis would take the train for day trips, drawn to the Montesano amusement park, which closed in 1920.
“While more recently Kimmswick has been visited by the Huck Finn and Becky Thatcher riverboats, those were day cruises from St. Louis,” she said. “This is the first time in the modern era that a cruising riverboat will stop in Kimmswick.”
Stang said he’s excited about the shot in the arm that regular riverboat stops will provide to the city’s economy.
“Generally, I’ve heard that over 60 percent of the passengers on river cruises come from outside our country,” he said. “It will have a tremendous impact on our local economy. In addition to the visitors, this will drive other people to come to the city. Plus, this will add credibility for our little city up and down the Mississippi River to be on the itinerary.”
Breitweiser said the Port Authority is negotiating with other cruise lines to make regular stops in Kimmswick, and that the Delta Queen, which will base its operations in the city, is still on its way.
“The Delta Queen is still very much in play,” he said. “We’re looking at it coming in 2023, and by then, we’ll have everything in place.”
He has said that financing to restore the Delta Queen, which dates to 1927, dried up during the COVID-19 pandemic, but its owners, the Delta Queen Steamboat Co. LLC, are lining up new investors. It is currently docked in Houma, La., but once it is able to cruise, the corporate headquarters will move to Kimmswick.
Breitweiser said finishing touches on the dock, delayed by recent rains, should be complete by the time the American Duchess arrives on July 11.
XL Contracting of St. Peters was awarded a contract last summer to build the river landing and a road leading to it, as well as restoration of a 43-space parking lot that had been covered by silt. The construction costs, Breitweiser said, should come in at about $1 million.
The Jefferson County Council voted in 2018 to spend up to $238,421 from the county’s reserve fund to provide the local match for the project; the other 80 percent is being provided by a state waterways grant.
“We’ve been working with (County Executive) Dennis Gannon and (Port Authority board president) Derrick Good to bring this to reality,” Breitweiser said. “It’s been a team effort with everyone in Kimmswick. This feels good to know it’s going to happen.”
Stang said the docking will provide a return to the city’s roots.
“We used to be tied to the river in the 1800s, but when Hwy. 61-67 and I-55 were built, that turned our city sideways,” he said. “Now we’re getting back to the river – our economy and our city. It is very exciting for Kimmswick.”