A Delightful Cruise on the Chicago Queen or the Streamliner

Paul Lundgren May 29, 2018 2 Comments

An old promotional flyer for excursions on the “world famous Twin Ports Harbor and Lake Superior.”

Above is a postcard photo of the Chicago Queen. The Streamliner can be seen in a postcard featured in the PDD post “A Thrilling Sight.”

According to an article in the Aug. 13, 1972 issue of the Winona Daily News, the Chicago Queen was built in 1942 for the U.S. Navy and used as a ferry boat. It was purchased as war surplus in 1949 by George Martin of Chicago, who “made it into an excursion boat by adding the pilot house, restrooms and upholstered seats.”

It was used in Chicago for about eight years before “it was purchased by a Mr. Hagen who operated the boat in the Duluth area for eight more years.”

Bob Weber of Bayfield acquired it from Hagen and used it about four years before it became an excursion boat on Lake Pepin. Where it’s been the past 45 years is not known. Online references to the Queen Chicago on Lake Pepin seem to span 1963 to 1974.

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2 Comments

Paul Lundgren

about 6 years ago 

Aug. 13, 1958, St. Cloud Times

Ellis Anderson

about 6 years ago 

Two itinerant musicians purchased her sometime in 1978 (I believe, it may have been 1977) and brought her down the Mississippi to New Orleans. She served as home to several musicians until sometime in the summer of 1978 when something happened and she sank in Lake Ponchartrain. I played at a benefit that summer that hoped to raise money to salvage her. Sadly, I don't think that ever occurred, but perhaps someone in the area purchased and resurrected her! She was lovely!

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