The Steamboat "Virginia"
(also Steel City/East St. Louis/Island Belle/Greater New Orleans)
From Ways Packet Directory:
Built in 1895, the "Virginia" went by many names. She was renamed "Steel City" in 1912, then "East St. Louis" in 1916, the "Island Belle" in 1923, then finally the "Greater New Orleans" in 1927. She is most famous for getting stuck in a cornfield during a flood in 1910, but had a career filled with accidents.
-from the Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, Monday, December 23, 1895
"The advent of no other steamboat on the upper Ohio will have received such a flattering reception as that to be tendered the new Virginia. All along the valley, especially In the upper Ohio, the Inhabitants are waiting for their first glimpse at Commodore Henderson's beauty. [. . . ] The new Virginia will come out on her maiden trip next Monday and will make her first appearance at the Wheeling wharf, on Thursday morning. A number of Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Wheeling newspaper men will make the trip. A ball will take place on board on the arrival of the packet at Pittsburgh, Friday, next week."
Newspaper Articles
â–¶ Riverboat Virginia's maiden Voyage: 1895-1896 (Intelligencer article, Jan. 1, 1896)
â–¶ Riverboat Virginia Arrives in Wheeling, January 2, 1896 (Intelligencer article, Jan. 3, 1896)
Images