It is also designate a National Historical Landmark.

Tim, I have read it is moored at the mouth of the Yazoo River. Can you photograph it without a boat, and if so, how do you reach it?

While on this subject, I understand the remains of the stern wheel towboat Sprague were dumped in the Yazoo after the disasterous fire in 1974.

I found the following in a guestbook on web, do you know anything more about the remains of the Spraguge?

***

I have been a student of the Sprague for about twenty years. I worked at Avondale Shipyards in New Orleans back in the early seventies (I think it was) when they brought the Sprague down from Vicksburg to do some work on the hull. At the time, it was still intact.

On later visits to Vicksburg, it was docked, then lost to high water and went somewhere downriver a mile or two, but not accessible. Then, they brought it back up to the landing, fixed it up some, and I guess had some play performances on board. Then, a fire, I think, and all that was left was the hull

Next time we went to Vicksburg, some contractor was smoothing off the face of the cliff in Vicksburg, and was to somehow drag the Sprague hull UP THE HILL, place in on a pedestal, and open it for viewing.

I started visiting kind of regular, to see the action. Well, there was none. Seems the hull would not move. Not from pulling, pushing, dragging, not nohow. Finally, they seemed to have pulled it to pieces.

Next trip, I found the engines and paddle wheel spiders laying in tall grass half-way up the cliffside, in ruins. Later, a chain link fence was erected that did little good to keep out anyone or anything.

Last I saw, the machinery pieces had been moved onto a nearby piece of property, and will be (hopefully) put into some exhibit.

By the way, I know of at least one more model that might interest you. When leaving Vicksgurg heading south on Hwy 61, but before getting to the interstate highway bridge, there is a pawn shop, on the west side of the street, in a cinder block building. And, on the roof on a pedestal, there was a model of the Sprague, probably 6 feet long. I turned the corner, went back, and walked into the building. I said to the lady behind the counter, "Do you know that's a model of the Sprague on the roof?".

Yes, she said, it was built by the man who owns this place. I asked if he were around, and met him a few minutes later. Turns out he was a pilot on the Sprague for many years. He built the model himself.

After we talked for a while, he asked me for the year in which I was born. I said 1938. He then reached into a display case, and pulled out some old Waterways journals from 1938, and gave me several copies. He had stacks and stacks of them.

I need to visit Vicksburg again and see if everything is still there.

***

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

> On the subject of steamboats, the old
> Streckfus Steamers excursion sidewheeler
> President is tied up in Vicksburg, for sale.
> It was converted to diesel in the 1980's,
> but still has its boilers below deck and its
> engines. Was a casino boat within the past
> two years. Built in 1924 it reportedly has a
> pretty good riveted hull. It's quite an old
> war horse, though, at over 300 feet.

> The SS Nobska, undergoing restoration in


Towboat Sprague (see bottom of the page)

james1@pernet.net