HSM Pilothouse and MQ Bell Revisited

[Keith Norrington]

It's been nearly a week now since the soiree to dedicate the new pilothouse replica and the bell from the Str. MISSISSIPPI QUEEN on the grounds of the Howard Steamboat Museum. Here are a few photos from the event. beginning with the triumphant arrival of the bell.

Images:
Arrival of the MQ bell at HSM
Transporting the bell through the gate and across the lawn via fork lift
The MQ bell at its final destination

[Keith Norrington]

Photos from Dedication Day

Here are several more taken at the dedication ceremony.

Curator Keith speaking to the "congregation" about the MQ bell history
Administrator Yvonne pulls the whistle cord for the first toot
Musicians Becky and Capt. Bill Ray with Curator Keith

[Keith Norrington]

Pilothouse & Bell

And, several more of the pilothouse and bell...

American Commercial Lines President & CEO Mark Knoy gives the first tug on the braided lanyard to ring the MQ bell with Curator Keith looking on

A peaceful scene of the pilothouse & bell with the Howard mansion in the background

The day after the dedication -- when the mayflies came calling!

[Lexie Palmore]

Everything is so pretty and green and the pilothouse is stunning, even with the mayflies.

[Jim Blum]

Give us old Mideastners an update on the Colorado fires which, hopefully are NOT near where you reside.

[Lexie Palmore]

We are not in that area. Seems these fires are always popping up on the front range, where the east side of the Rockies meets the plains. These are populated, hilly areas, suburbs of Denver, Boulder, Ft. Collins, et. al. Another volatile area is the I-70 corridor where entire forests have been killed by the pine bark beetle. Among the towns in this area is Vail, along with other upscale communities. The beetle kill has not gotten to our area as yet, and there is an ongoing constant vigilance to keep it out.