Lee Line Steamers | Riverboat History

(ULPA-1986.90.0423) Howard Steamboat Museum Collection, Special Collections, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky

This picture is from the Howard Shipyard Museum Collection, Special Collections, University of Louisville, KY.  The Lee Line purchased the ORA LEE, JAMES LEE (2nd),  GEORGIA LEE, PETERS LEE and the ROBERT E LEE from the Howard Shipyard.  I am looking forward to posting additional pictures from this great archive of steamboat pictures which can be found at http://digital.library.louisville.edu/collections/howard/

The centenial celebration of the Louisiana Purchase was moved from 1903 to 1904 to coincide with the 1904 St. Louis Worlds Fair Exposition.  The Fair’s 1,200 acre (4.9 km²) site, designed by George Kessler, was located at the present-day grounds of Forest Park and on the campus of Washington University, and was the largest fair to date. There were over 1,500 buildings, connected by some 75 miles (120 km) of roads and walkways. It was said to be impossible to give even a hurried glance at everything in less than a week. The Palace of Agriculture alone covered some 20 acres.

Exhibits were staged by 62 foreign nations, the United States government, and 43 of the then-45 U.S. states. These featured industries, cities, private organizations and corporations, theater troupes, and music schools. There were also over 50 concession-type amusements found on “The Pike”; they provided educational and scientific displays, exhibits and imaginary ‘travel’ to distant lands, history and local boosterism (including Louis Wollbrinck’s “Old St. Louis”) and pure entertainment.

19,694,855 individuals were in attendance at the fair (copied from Wikipedia)

The Lee Line as did other steamboat lines carried people to this event.

The Evening Independent Newspaper St. Petersburg Florida reported on June 27, 1929 the following story

G Peters Lee Caught after repeated warnings by Memphis Chief of Police

Memphis Tenn., June 27 (AP)

G. Peters Lee, president of the Valley Line Steamers, Inc. was arrested today on charges of possession of liquor, conspiracy to violate the prohibition law and violating the liquor law.   He immediately made bond of $500 cash of each of the charges.

Capt. Lee’s arrest followed a visit by police chief  Will D. Lee and Capt. Hulet Smith accompanied by Finis Wilson, federal prohibition chief, here.  The officers said they found 75 gallons of liquor on the wharfboat and 100 gallons in an auto.

“For years I have been telling Captain Lee that we would get him sooner or later,” Chief Lee said.  “We have arrested several of his employees and each time have given Captain Lee a warning.”  We have an open and shut case on him this time.”

Thanks to Nori Muster, Leelinesteamers.com is now linked to http://steamboats.com.  I am looking forward to adding to the steamboat community’s ever expanding love of all things related to the steamboat era.  Thank you Nori for your gracious introduction to Leelinesteamers.com.

Jim Lee

This post card was post marked April 7, 1931 Covington Kentucky.  The Lee Line went into voluntary liquidation in 1926.   There are no clear lettering on the steamboat indicating its name.  The wagon behind the Lee Line Steamers sign in the foreground is from the Louisville Paper Co.  Likely this picture was taken sometime in the early to mid 1920’s.  Post cards in the early 1900’s cost a penny to mail.  This card also carries a penny stamp.

Here is another view of the St. Louis water front with the Lee Line wharf boat in the background.

On September 30, 1887 President and Mrs. Grover Cleveland left Washington DC on a 5000 mile journey through the western and southern U.S.  They rode in a train provided by rail magnate George Pullman.  President Cleveland insisted on personally covering the cost of the train.  After numerous stops, the Presidential train arrived in St. Louis Missouri where the Presidential party stayed for four days.  During their stay, President and Mrs. Cleveland were given a ride on the steamer CITY OF BATON ROUGE which served as an excursion boat in the St. Louis area.   The above picture was taken from a postcard commerating the Presidential visit.   Since there is a very large crowd and what appears to be soldiers lining the ramp of the LEE LINE wharf boat the people walking down the ramp must be the Presidential party.  Notice the two people in the lower right corner of the picture holding what appear to be sabers.  Later in the trip, the President arrived in West Memphis on October 14, 1887 where the Presidential party was carried across the river on the steamer KATE ADAMS.  On board were 100 people including Democratic senators and the mayor as well as other notable citizens who greeted the President.  As they were ferried across the river on the KATE they were greeted by 60,000 people as the KATE traveled the 3 mile length of the Memphis water front.  The next day over 100,000 people cheered the President during a parade through downtown Memphis.   The link below details the Cleveland’s trip.   The original picture had several age related problems as well as a dog-eared corner which my friend and Photo-Shop expert Josh Gamble repaired.

http://www.whha.org/whha_publications/publications_documents/whitehousehistory_28-white.pdf