[Bob Reynolds]

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Just reading the Commercial Appealhere in Memphis, and came across the following in "50 Years Ago Today":

"The last of the Mississippi River packet boats will start her last voyage down the Big Muddy soon, headed where all good packet boats deserve to go -- a glamorous retirement in Florida. The Gordon C. Greene -- as a river museum -- will become a reminder of the great days when cotton was king and steamboats raced 'round the bends. James Walden and Bryan Anderson, partners in Memphis' Marine Service Co. announced yesterday they have formed the Sternwheeler Co., Inc., with a group of Southern businessmen and have bought the river boat for $55,000. Mr. Walden said he got the idea of making the boat into a tourist attraction after moving to Florida about six months ago."

As we all know, this venture did not pan out as Jim Walden had hoped. Jim Walden also had Helena Marine Service, and provided Capt. Charlie Fehlig (mentioned recently in another thread) with the required trips up the Arkansas River to extend his First Class Pilot license uo the Arkansas in order to take the DQ up to Little Rock for the first time in 1971.