The Delta Queen, built in the 1920s, was purchased by the Greene Line of Cincinnati in 1946.
Though it changed ownership several times throughout the years, the mighty steamboat cruised the waters of the Ohio, Mississippi, Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. That ended in 2008 when the exemption for the paddle wheeler from the Safety at Sea Act expired, meaning it could no longer carry overnight passengers. Fans of the Delta Queen have since been trying to get Congress to renew the exemption so the steamboat can once again ply the rivers. From 2009-2014, the Queen was located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, serving as a hotel and restaurant.
Joining us for a look at the past, present and future of the Delta Queen are former Captain Don Sanders; Phillip Johnson, director of Marine Operations with the Delta Queen Steamboat Company; and Dan Hurley, president of Applied History Associates and host and producer of 12 Newsmakers on WKRC-TV.