From 1924 to 1927, the Delta Queen and Delta King, commonly referred to as “the million dollar boats” were constructed at the William Denny & Brothers Ltd. In Dumbarton, Scotland. In 1927, at Banner Island shipyard in Stockton, California, both boats were fully built, and finished on May 20, 1927.
Both boats were used by the California Transportation Company of San Francisco on what was referred to as the “Delta Route”, which was from Sacramento to the San Joaquin River Delta, hence the names of the boats. On June 1, 1927, both boats had their first trips, and on September 29, 1940, had their last trips.
Military History
The Delta Queen was then used by the Navy for transporting naval reservists for about a year, and then went back to Stockton. The California Transportation Company sold both vessels to the Isbrandsten Steamship Company of New York. Both boats were supposed to be used as excursion boats on the Hudson River, but Pearl Harbor redirected their use and they were used as emergency hospital transports. Initially, the boat was classified as a Yard House Boat (YHB-7), but then in 1944 was reclassified as a Yard Ferry Boat (YFB-56).
In 1945, the Delta Queen was used during the first conference of the United Nations, as she took representatives of 51 nations around the San Francisco Bay area for exploring and touring. Then in 1946, the Delta Queen went into “lay-up” on Suisan Bay, at the Reserve Fleet and was officially off Navy records on August 28, 1946.
Mississippi River Cruising
In December of 1946, Captain Tom R. Greene of Greene Line Steamers of Cincinnati, Ohio purchased the Delta Queen from the War Shipping Administration to use on the Mississippi River. On April 19, 1947, it was pulled by the tug Osage through the Panama Canal to New Orleans; the journey lasted 29 days and spanned 5,261 miles of sea. She was reconstructed in New Orleans and then went to Dravo Corporation on Neville Island in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for renovations.
On June 21, 1948, the Delta Queen started passenger service back up. Unfortunately, the Safety of Life at Sea Law in 1966 almost stopped the Delta Queen from being able to operate, because of the wooden construction of the vessel. The work of Betty Blake, Bill Muster and E. Jay Quinby allowed her to operate for another 2 years.
Overseas National Airways took ownership in 1969, and on October 21, 1970, she made what was thought to be her final voyage from St. Paul to New Orleans. However, on December 31, 1970, President Nixon signed off on an additional 3 years for the vessel to keep operating. Extensions like these have continued to present day
In 1973, since the Greene family was no longer part of the equation. The company name changed to “Delta Queen Steamboat Company”. She was then sold to Coca-Cola Bottling Company of New York in April of 1976. Shortly after, a company out of San Francisco, California by the name of Prudential Lines Inc. got involved. Sam Zell and Bob Lurie of Chicago, Illinois gained control of the remaining stock in the early 1980s.
Current State of the Delta Queen
In 2001, the parent company, American Classical Voyages, filed for bankruptcy. On January 5 ,2002, the Delta Queen finished what was thought to be her final season. However, Delaware North Companies, Inc. bought Delta Queen Steamboat Company. On August 26th, 2002, when she turned 75 years old, she went back into operation. Four years later, Ambassadors International purchased the Delta Queen Steamboat Company. As of October 2008, the Delta Queen was no longer excused from following the Safety of the Sea Act. This meant she was no longer able to carry overnight passengers. As of April 2009, the Delta Queen has operated as a hotel and restaurant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Supports of the vessel are still working to get the exemption from the Safety of the Sea Act back.
