1975

New Orleans Has A New Lady

On April 12, 1975 a crowd of 1,100 guests celebrated the christening of the Steamboat NATCHEZ. Bill Dow’s dream of bringing a steam powered passenger vessel to New Orleans came to fruition as the 12 year old daughter of the mayor of Natchez, Mississippi smashed a bottle of champagne against her hull. Ned Reed, the Director of the Port of New Orleans Board of Commissioners, commented that, “We’re getting back a bit of the nostalgia we’ve been missing on the river.”

(June 1975 issue of S&D Reflector, Published by Sons & Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen)