Tuesday, April 17, 2012

The Delta Queen

While at Coolidge Park in Chattanooga, Adam and I strolled over to see the Delta Queen, an old-timey paddleboat. Isn't she beautiful? She's permanently docked here.






I knew about the boat because Philip helped produce a short film clip a couple of year ago at his college. It was a very fun piece of the Charlie Chaplin sort, in jumpy black-and-white, with Louis Armstrong singing. They filmed it here at the park, and even filmed part of it on the boat. I don't think the workers there liked it much!
I didn't realize it, but the Delta Queen is now a hotel and restaurant! I didn't really know what it was doing, docked there. Now I do! We walked onto the lower deck. They have a big wooden swing there to welcome guests.

State rooms for overnight guests line the sides of the steamboat. I'd like to stay there. If you want to read more about the Delta Queen and her illustrious history, go here. She was assembled in 1926, served in World War II, and has been useful up and down rivers and coastlines all around our nation.
One more boat: Here's the Southern Belle, a little ferry that takes the city's visitors along the water. That looks fun too!

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