Padelford Riverboats, established in 1969, is the sole provider of river boat cruises within the

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is a and protected corridor along the Mississippi River through the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metro in the U.S. state of Minnesota, from the cities of Dayton and Ramsey, to just downstream of Ha ...

in the

Twin Cities Twin cities are a special case of two neighboring cities or urban centres that grow into a single conurbation – or narrowly separated urban areas – over time. There are no formal criteria, but twin cities are generally comparable in statu ...

of the

U.S. State In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

. Padelford boats cruise on the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

and celebrate the history of the region. The Padelford Riverboat Company is based at Harriet Island in downtown St. Paul. The company was founded in 1969 by William Bowell - a World War II decorated veteran - at a time when the Mississippi River was neglected and underused. The activities of Bowell and Padelford helped build relationships between the people and the river, and spurred positive changes on the riverfront.

History

Founder William Bowell grew up close to the river, helping his father's small business on Harriet Island. He served in World War II, then enrolled at Macalester College after the war. His lifelong dream was to pilot a boat on the Mississippi River. He was a curator for the Minnesota Historical Society and later a businessman, but returned to the river in 1969 to start the Padelford Riverboat business. His lifelong collection of books about the river, along with historic photographs, books, blueprints, original documents, and other reference materials are stored in the Captain William D. Bowell, Jr. River Library, housed in the

National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium is a museum located in Dubuque, Iowa, USA. The museum is a property of the Dubuque County Historical Society, which also operates the Mathias Ham Historic Site. The museum has two buildings on it ...

Dubuque Dubuque (, ) is the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. At the time of the 2020 census, the population of Dubuque was 59,667. The city lies at the junction of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, a r ...

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

. After initially purchasing the

paddle steamer A paddle steamer is a steamship or steamboat powered by a steam engine that drives paddle wheels to propel the craft through the water. In antiquity, paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses wer ...

''Jonathan Padelford'', Bowell continued to expand the boat inventory. He also expanded the original boat itself - cutting it in half and adding a 20-foot section at midship. The eventual fleet included three coast-guard rated boats and 5 vessels total. In 2006, the three co-owners sold one of their boats, the ''Harriet Bishop'', to buy a new overnight cruiser to replace the ''Viking Explorer'', which had been sold in 1998. But before they could get their hands on one, the economy slipped into recession and that extra cash ended up providing the necessary resources for the company to remain in operation.

Operations

The company was founded by Captain William Bowell, who retired in 2002, passing leadership of the company to his family members Bill Bowell Jr, Beth Myers, Shelley Kosmo, Steve Bowell, and Jim Kosmo; and General Manager Gus Gaspardo. The Padelford operated out of Harriet Island originally, and continues to this day. For a period from 1988 until 2004, they also operated from Boom Island in Minneapolis. Their Minneapolis operations were within a contract with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, and ended when the two parties were unable to come to terms for a new contract. Starting in 1996, Padelford partnered with the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...

, the

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, or Minnesota DNR, is the agency of the U.S. state of Minnesota charged with conserving and managing the state's natural resources. The agency maintains areas such as state parks, state forests, recre ...

, the

Science Museum of Minnesota Science Museum of Minnesota is an American museum focused on topics in technology, natural history, physical science, and mathematics education. Founded in 1907 and located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit institution is staffed ...

, the St. Paul chapter of the

National Audubon Society The National Audubon Society (Audubon; ) is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation of birds and their habitats. Located in the United States and incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organ ...

Hamline University Hamline University is a private liberal arts college in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Founded in 1854, Hamline is known for its emphasis on experiential learning, service, and social justice. The university is named after Bishop Leonidas Lent Hamline o ...

's Center for Global Environmental Education, and other government agencies and nonprofit organizations to create a temporary floating classroom/field trip series. This field trip series on a Padelford riverboat includes curriculums involving environmental studies, ecology, aquatic life and watershed stewardship as well as cultural studies and regional history. The Padelford company partnered with the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...

to bring back their flagship vessel, the

Minnesota Centennial Showboat Minnesota Centennial Showboat was a traditional riverboat theatre docked at Harriet Island Regional Park on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. The showboat contained an intimate jewelbox theatre th ...

, containing a 210-seat theater. The Showboat Players - theater students of the University - performed melodramas and olios in that venue. Originally operated by the University itself, the refurbished vessel arrived back at Harriet Island on April 17, 2002. The University decided to end the partnership due to declining interest in melodramas. Its final show - also featured during its first season - was ''

Under the Gaslight ''Under the Gaslight'' is an 1867 play by Augustin Daly. It was his first successful play, and is a primary example of a melodrama, best known for its suspense scene where a person is tied to railroad tracks as a train approaches, only to be ...

'' in 2016. In 2004, the Padelford participated in the 2004

Grand Excursion The Grand Excursion was a promotional voyage by train and steamboat into the Upper Mississippi River valley, USA that first took place in June 1854. It marked the first railroad connection between the East Coast and the Mississippi River, and it in ...

, celebrating the 150-yr anniversary of the original grand excursion in 1854. As part of that event, the company provided public and private cruises from

Diamond Bluff, Wisconsin Diamond Bluff is a town in Pierce County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 479 at the 2000 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 18.3 square miles (47.4 km2), of which ...

for one week. The Padelford participated in other steamboat revival events throughout the region. The company was a founding member of the Passenger Vehicle Association and has been an active member in the association.

Mississippi riverfront resurgence

In the early part of the century, industrialization and farming activities caused the Mississippi to become very polluted. Not only was the MNRRA region named and identified, but regular recreational activity of all kinds increased starting in that period. When Bowell launched the Padelford, there were no cruise lines operating in that stretch of the River - the closest was in Iowa. The locks and dams had recently been built and the river was used mainly for industrial shipping. Bowell went against that grain and provided access to the river on a recreational basis, including also a dose of regional history in each excursion. Through to the current day, the company remains involved in a wide variety of activities focused on the River.

Vessels

The Jonathan Padelford is a nearly-authentic Mark Twain-era sternwheeler riverboat that was built in 1969 at Dubuque Boat and Boiler Co., Dubuque, IA. The boat replicates the paddle wheel mechanism, but operates on diesel fuel instead of the original steam technology. Two years after completion the Padelford was taken to a shipyard in Lemont, IL where it was cut in two and a 20-foot section was added at midship. The lengthening increased capacity and made the overall length 125 feet with a 24-foot beam. Capacity: 313. The name Jonathan Padelford is that of the founder's ancestor, a territorial pioneer who came to Minnesota in 1856. In 1988 the 300-passenger sidewheeler Anson Northrup was added. Built in 1988 in Jennings, LA the Northrup started in service with public excursions on Father’s Day, June 19, 1988. Length - 92 feet. In 1990 a car/truck ferry vessel named the Brandon Paul from Tiptonville, Kentucky was acquired, renamed the Betsey Northrup and converted to a two deck, 300-passenger party barge. The main deck was enclosed while the second deck was left open but was covered for maximum sightseeing. Length - 108 feet. Viking Explorer - formerly the Arkansas Explorer - Length - 110 feet; built in 1980; Capacity - 34 passengers. Mini cruise ship with 24 staterooms, provided cruises that ranged as far as Florida. Viking Explorer was sold in 1992. Harriet Bishop - Length - 98 Feet; Built 1987, Utica, Indiana; Capacity - Harbor Cruises: 350, Riverboat Race, Themed Harbor and Parade of Tall Stacks Cruises: 300, Lunch and Dinner Cruises: 264. Captain Frank M. Whiting - Showboat built in 2002 by John Nichols of Mississippi Marine for the University of Minnesota and Padelford. Owned by the University of Minnesota and operated by Padelford as the replacement of the original

until 2016. Capacity - 499.

References

External links

* {{official website, http://www.riverrides.com/index.html
Come Aboard! Padelford Riverboats St. Paul
YouTube
The Business End of the m/v JONATHAN PADELFORD
YouTube Culture of Saint Paul, Minnesota Tourist attractions in Saint Paul, Minnesota Steamboats of the Mississippi River Paddle steamers of the United States Passenger ships of the United States