''Lone Star'' is a wooden hull, steam-powered stern-wheeled
towboat in
LeClaire, Iowa
LeClaire is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. The population was 4,710 in 2020 United States census, 2020, a 65.4% increase from 2,847 in 2000 United States Census, 2000, making it one of the fastest-growing communities in the Quad C ...
, United States. She is
dry docked and on display at the
Buffalo Bill Museum in LeClaire. Built in 1868, she is the oldest of three surviving steam-powered towboats, and the only one with a wooden hull. She was declared a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...
on 20 December 1989.
[
and]
Description
''Lone Star'' has a wood frame hull long, with pointed bow, flat bottom and
hard chine. With the sternwheel added, the total vessel length is . She has a beam of and a hold depth of . The internal hogging truss system is typical of boats of the period. The hull is divided internally into three watertight compartments. It has a two-deck superstructure, with the main deck housing the propelling machinery and steam boilers, with
coal bins forward, boilers in the center, and engines aft. An upper deck above the boilers that houses the pilot house and crew quarters.
History
''Lone Star'' came off the ways at
Lyons, Iowa in 1869. Originally the boat was a wood-burning side-wheeler, operated as a short-run packet. In 1890 she was remodeled and reconfigured as a stern-wheeler, for use as towboat. ''Lone Star'' was remodeled a second time in 1899 at the
Kahlke Boat Yards in
Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is a city in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. The population was 37,108 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located at the confluence of the Rock River (Mississippi River tributary), Rock a ...
. In 1922 she was again altered, for use in dredging operations. On 21 April 1968, ''Lone Star'' was placed out of service. She was the last running and is now the last remaining intact wood hull paddlewheel boat that plied the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
.
Photo gallery
File:Lone Star Steam Engine.jpg, ''Lone Star''s steam engine
File:Enclosure for Lone Star Paddlewheel River Boat.jpg, ''Lone Star''s glass and steel enclosure
File:Lone Star 2.jpg
See also
*
List of National Historic Landmarks in Iowa
The List of National Historic Landmarks in Iowa contains the landmarks designated by the U.S. Federal Government for the U.S. state of Iowa.
There are 29 National Historic Landmarks (NHLs) in Iowa.
;Key
Current NHLs
...
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Scott County, Iowa
*
List of U.S. National Historic Landmark ships, shipwrecks, and shipyards
References
External links
Video tour of the Lone Star towboat.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lone Star (Towboat)
National Historic Landmarks in Iowa
Towboats
Tourist attractions in Scott County, Iowa
Ships on the National Register of Historic Places in Iowa
National Register of Historic Places in Scott County, Iowa
Museum ships in Iowa
Le Claire, Iowa
1868 ships