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Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com

Published - Saturday, August 18, 2007

Bring the Delta Queen to Winona

By Wes Woodward, Minnesota City, Minn.

With all the fuss and fumbling over the Wilkie (fake) Steamboat this year, I believe there may be a better solution.

The Winona Daily News reported last Saturday that the famed Delta Queen will end its service in 2008. It was reported that Majestic America Line, which operates the riverboat, failed to secure another exemption from Congress to keep her in service. Unlike the Wilkie, this is a real riverboat and is even a designated National Historical Landmark.

I vividly remember back in the 1970s as a child seeing the Delta Queen pass through one of the locks on the Mississippi River. She leaves quite the impression on those who see her.

Here’s an idea — and I know it may sound like a long shot — what if the city of Winona contacted Majestic America Line (or whoever is the actual owner) and give them our best pitch for bringing the Delta Queen to Winona as a permanent home? It’s a bit better than the fake one that presently occupies downtown, but with some ingenuity and imagination (and local cooperation) Winona could end up with a real river attraction for ages to come.

There are a lot of possibilities with her — guided tours, concerts on her deck, even shops in part of her, etc. My guess is people elsewhere are already beginning to think about what to do with this magnificent boat once her river service ends. Let’s stream to the head of the line of ideas with a workable proposal. Who knows, we could end up with something Winona can be proud of, rather than just a cheap riverside prop.