IT HAS BEEN CALLED THE BIG MUDDY AND AMERICA'S RIVER. FOR CENTURIES, IT HAS FED
MANKIND, BEEN A ROADWAY TO NEW
LANDS AND PROVIDER OF JOBS.
IT IS ALSO HOME TO A DIVERSE
RANGE OF WILDLIFE, SOME OF WHOSE
ANCESTORS PREDATES THE
DINOSAURS.
I HAD, I AM JIM WILHELM.
TODAY WE ARE VISITING THE
NATIONAL MISSISSIPPI RIVER
MUSEUM AND AQUARIUM IN DUBUQUE
IOWA.
HERE VISITORS CAN LEARN ABOUT
THE RIVER'S VAST NATURAL
RESOURCES, EXPLORE ISSUES FACING
ITS USE AND LEARN ABOUT OUR
HISTORY ON ITS WATERS.
THE FIRST HUMANS TO THRIVE ALONG
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BANK WERE,
OF COURSE, THE NATIVE AMERICANS.
ON DISPLAY ARE SEVERAL PIECES OF
POTTERY UNEARTHED AT VILLAGE
SITES ALONG WITH ONE OF THE
FIRST TYPE OF RIVER CRAFTS TO BE
USED, A DUGOUT CANOE.
LATER CAME THE EUROPEANS, MOSTLY
THE FRENCH, TRAPPERS SEARCHING
FOR ANIMAL PELLETS AND
MISSIONARIES TO CONVERT THE
INDIANS.
THIS MONSTROUS WAS FOR COMMUNION
HOST THAT WAS EXCAVATED FROM A
SITE WHERE MARQUETTE OVERSAW A
MISSION TILL UNTIL HIS DEATH IN
1675.
BEHIND ME IS REPRODUCTION OF
UNDERGROUND LEAD MINE THAT
VISITORS CAN EXPLORE. THOSE
MINES WERE TURNING OUT THREE
MILLION POUNDS OF LEAD PER YEAR.
THIS OUTPUT HELPED ESTABLISH DUBUQUE AS ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT SETTLEMENTS ON THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER OF HERE IS A
MONEY BELT FROM 1845 WORN WITH
THE MINER EXCHANGED HIS LEAD FOR
GOLD.
AND THIS IS A FIVE DOLLAR NOTE
FROM THE MINER'S BANK
ESTABLISHED IN 1837.
IT WAS IN EXISTENCE LONGER THAN
ANY OTHER EARLY IOWA BANK.
LEAD MADE DUBUQUE AN IMPORTANT
SHIPPING PORT, AND THAT, IN TURN
, LED TO MORE RIVER TRAFFIC,
AND THAT MEANT STEAMBOATS.
HERE VISITORS CAN VIEW ARTIFACTS
FROM A NUMBER OF THOSE BOATS AND
LEARN ABOUT ON BOARD LIFE DURING
THE GOLDEN AGE OF STEAM.
MOST PEOPLE ENVISION RIVER TRAVEL BACK THEN INVOLVING STATEROOMS AND ELEGANT MEALS IN
GRAND SALONS, YET THE MA R JUROR
OF PASSENGERS WOULD BOOK SPACE
ON THE MAIN DECK WHERE THE
ANIMALS AND CARGO WERE STORED.
DECK PASSAGE WAS ONLY HALF THE
COST OF A PRIVATE ROOM.
BUT YOU GOT ONLY SPACE.
NO FOOD.
NO BED.
THE DECK PASSENGERS HAD TO
ASSIST IN CARRYING THE WOOD ON
BOARD.
OH, AND THE TERM "STATEROOM"
THAT COMES FROM THE OLD
TRADITION OF NAMING THE PRIVATE
ROOMS AFTER STATES IN THE UNION.
AS RIVER TRAFFIC INCREASED,
DUBUQUE BECAME HOME TO ANOTHER
INDUSTRY.
FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS, THIS
TOWN WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT BOAT
BUILDING CENTER ON THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER, A HERITAGE
CELEBRATED AT THIS MUSEUM.
IN FACT, THE MUSEUM IS LOCATED
IN ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING
BUILDINGS WAS DUBUQUE BOAT AND
BOILER WORKS.
OUTSIDE ITS GROUND ARE SPRINKLED
CAN DISPLAYS TAKING VISITORS
TORS THROUGH THE PROCESS OF
MAKING AND LAUNCHING THE
RIVERBOAT.
KNOWN AS THE DUBUQUE ICE HARBOR, IT WAS DUG BY THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS BEGINNING IN
1882 AS WINTER HARBOR FOR THE
UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER BOATS.
ONE THE HARBOR OPENED, DUBUQUE
BOAT AND BOILER WORKS MOVED TO
THIS LOCATION.
IT WAS THE LARGEST INLAND WATER
BOAT BUILDER IN THE COUNTRY.
THEY MADE TORPEDO BOATS FOR THE
SPANISH-AMERICAN R WAR, MADE SUB
CHASERS FOR WORLD WAR I AND EVEN
SEVERAL VESSELS FOR THE RAILROAD
NAVIES.
CALLED TRANSFER BOATS, THEY WERE
HUGE VESSELS USED TO FERRY
LOCOMOTIVES AND TRAIN CARS IN
PLACES WHERE THE RIVER WAS TOO
WIDE FOR BRIDGES.
EACH ONE COST A QUARTER OF A
MILLION DOLLARS AND HAD SIX
BOILERS POWERING TWO SIDE WHEEL
ENGINES.
THOSE WERE NOT THE LARGEST
VESSELS EVER ORDERED.
IN 1901, THE SPRAGUE WAS LAUNCH
ED FROM THIS SITE.
IT WAS THE LARGEST STEAM TOWBOAT
EVER BUILT.
IT WAS 318 FEET LONG, AND USED
TO PUSH COLD COAL BARGES.
NICKNAMED BIG MA MA, SHE SET THE
RECORD FOR THE LONGEST TOW
PUSHING 56 COAL BARGES FROM
PITTSBURGH TO NEW ORLEANS.
HER STERN WHEEL WAS 40 FEET WIDE
AND COULD TURN AT A PACE OF 11
REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE.
MR. JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA
OF THE SCOPE OF THE EQUIPMENT
INSTALLED HERE, I AM STANDING IN
FRONT OF TWO STEAM GENERATORS.
EACH ONE OF THEM WEIGHS 50 TONS,
AND THEY WERE BOTH INSTALLED IN
A DREDGE BOAT BUILT IN 1932.
THE SMOKESTACKS WHICH WERE ADDED
AFTER THE LAUNCH, RISE UP TO
40 FEET.
BUT NOT EVERYTHING ON DISPLAY AT
MUSEUM HAS A CONNECTION WITH THE
BOAT YARD.
ON A DIFFERENT SCALE, IS THIS
TOWBOAT.
IT IS A A REMINDER HOW THE RIVER
WAS SOMETIMES A FAMILY AFFAIR.
MR. THIS BOAT WAS BUILT FROM
SCRATCH BETWEEN THE YEARS OF
1938 AND 1940 BY THE LOGSDON
FAMILY FOR USE IN THEIR SAND AND
GRAVEL BUSINESS.
ON BOARD, THREE GENERATIONS
LIVED AND WORKED.
MR. MEASURING 95 FEET IN
LENGTH, IT WAS BUILT TO TAKE A
BEATING.
THE HULL IS MADE OF BLANKS OF
DOUGLAS RED FUR THREE INCHES
THICK.
IT WAS POWERED BY A A DIRECT
REVERSING DIESEL ENGINE WHICH
MEANT THE PILOT HAD TO SHUT IT
OFF BEFORE SHIFTING INTO REVERSE
ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR ATTRACTIONS HERE IS WILLIAM M BLACK, ASIDE WHEELER WHICH IS
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
IT WAS THE LAST STEAM POWERED
DREDGE BOAT TO WORK THE RIVER.
THE BLACK WAS BILL BUILT IN 1934
AND NOW ONE OF ONLY HANDFUL OF
PRESERVED HISTORIC DREDGES USED
BY THE U.S. CORPS OF ENGINEERS.
THESE LEVERS OPERATED THE DREDGE
HEAD OR THE DUSTPAN.
IT OPERATED LIKE A GIANT VACUUM
CLEANER REMOVING THE SAND AND
MUD FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE RIVER
CHANNEL.
THIS BOAT OPERATED 24 HOURS A
DAY, WITH A CREW OF 0 PEOPLE
WORKING TREE SHIFTS.
DURING A SINGLE DAY, THIS BOAT
COULD REMOVE UP TO 80,000 CUBIC
YARDS OF MATERIAL WHICH WAS
CARRIED THROUGH A PIPELINE UNDER
THE DECKS TO THE STERN.
THERE IT EXITED WITH ENOUGH
POWER TO BE RUN THROUGH PIPES
FLOATING ON A SERIES OF BARGES
WHICH COULD BE UP TO A QUARTER
OF A MILE IN LENGTH.
IN VIED VISITORS CAN TOUR NOT
ONLY THE ENGINE ROOM, BUT THE
UPPER DECK AS WELL WHERE THE MEN
SLEPT AND ATE.
IT IS CALLED THE BOAR'S NEST AND
HAD HAD ACCOMMODATIONS FOR 32
MEN.
MEN SIGNED UP FOR THE ENTIRE
SEASON WHICH RAN FROM SPRING
UNTIL EARLY NOVEMBER.
AT THE OTHER END OF THE BOAT IS
THE CAPTAIN'S CABIN COMPLETE
WITH SET OF SPEAKING TUBES TO
STAY CONNECTED WITH THE PILOT
HOUSE.
AND THIS IS THE GALLEY WHERE
COOKS PREPARED FOUR MEALS A DAY
FOR THE THREE SHIFTS.
MEALS WERE AT 7, NOON, 5 P.M.,
AND MIDNIGHT.
THE GALLEY AND MESS ARE STILL IN
USED TO BECAUSE THE BLACK HAS
BECOME A BOAT AND BREAKFAST.
INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS CAN BOOK A
STATEROOM OR CRUISE QUARTERS FOR
OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS AND IN
THE MORNING BE SERVED A HEARTY
BREAKFAST.
THE BLACK FULFILLED ITS MISSION
FROM 1934 TO 1973 WHEN THE HIGH
COST OF FUEL FORCED ITS
RETIREMENT.
TODAY IT IS A REMINDER OF THE
POWER OF STEAM AND OF THE MEN
WHO WORKED ON THE RIVER.
IN FRONT OF THE PLAQUE IS A
NATURAL WETLAND AREA WHERE
VISITORS CAN WALK ALONG A RAISED
BOARDWALK TO GAZE AT THE
WILDLIFE.
THE MUSEUM IS AN INTERPRETIVE
CENTER OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI
WILDLIFE AND FISH REFUGE AND IT
IS A GREAT PLACE TO EXPERIENCE
SOME OF ITS DIVERSITY.
IN ADDITION, THERE ARE VARIOUS
BUILDINGS ALONG THE PATH FROM A
HISTORIC CABIN TO THIS
RECREATION OF NATIVE AMERICAN
CICKIA, IT IS A TEMPORARY
HUNTING SHELTER AND COULD HOUSE
SEVERAL -- UP TO 12 MEN FOR
SEVERAL DAYS.
THIS FACILITY TAKES US FROM THE
TIME OF THE NATIVE AMERICANS TO
THE GOLDEN AGE OF STEAMBOATS.
BUT IT IS A NATIONAL MISS RIVER
MUSEUM AND AQUARIUM.
THE MISSISSIPPI'S STORY DOES NOT
END AT THE WATER'S EDGE.
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IS A HUGE EXPANSE. IT DOES COVER A GREAT MANY
HABITATS, AND ECOSYSTEMS.
A NUMBER OF THE ANIMALS ARE
COMMON THROUGHOUT THAT RANGE.
SO IT IS A VERY COMPLEX STORY TO
TELL.
THE WAY THE INT IT SET UP, YOU
HAVE FIVE R LARGE MAIN ECO TYPES
THAT YOU ARE INTRODUCED TO.
AS YOU WAL INTO THE BUILDING,
THE FIRST ONE THAT YOU COME IN
CONTACT WITH IS THE BACK WATER
MARSH.
THIS IS THE BACK WATER AREA, THE
SHALLOW WARMER WATER AREAS WHERE
A LOT OF FISH GO TO SPAWN.
YOU HAVE A LOT OF WATER FOWL,
GREATER DIVERSITY OF SMALLER
FISH IN THAT HABITAT.
WHAT I HAVE BEHIND ME HERE IS
THE MAIN CHANNEL TANK.
IT IS THE LARGEST AQUARIUM IN
THE MISS RIVER MUSEUM.
IT IS ABOUT 30,000 GALLONS. WE
HAVE ABOUT 20 SPECIES OF FISH
ALL OF WHICH ARE FOUND IN THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
A A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE VERY
SURPRISED TO KNOW THESE ANIMALS
ARE IN THE RIVER.
THEY TEND TO LOOK AT THESE FISH
AND THINK UNUSUAL FISH LIKE THAT
ARE ONLY FOUND IN SOUTH AMERICA
OR AFRICA.
BUT WE HAVE SOME VERY UNIQUE AND
EXCITING ANIMALS RIGHT HERE IN
OUR OWN BACKYARD.
YOU CAN SEE THE PANEL FISH, HE
IS IN THE PROCESS OF SIFTING
FOOD THROUGH THE WATER COLUMN
AND IT THAT'S WHAT THEY DO IN
THE WILD.
THEY SWIM AROUND WITH THEIR
MOUTH OPEN AND SIFT FOOD OUT OF
THE WATER LIKE WHALES DO.
THAT PANEL IS COVERED WITH TINY
ELECTRO RECEPTORS THAT HELP FIND
THE SMALL ANIMALS THAT IT
FILTERS OUT OF THE WATER.
WE HAVE TWO TYPES OF GARS IN
THIS INT, LONG KNOWS GAR, AND
SHORT KNOWS GAR.
WITH ONE THING THAT REALLY
IMPRESSES PEOPLE ARE THE
CATFISH.
WE HAVE SOME VERY LARGE CATFISH.
WE HAVE COUPLE OF BLUE CATFISH.
ONE IS JUST OVER A A HUNDRED
POUNDS, AND PEOPLE ARE VERY
IMPRESSED WITH THOSE GUYS.
WE ALL HEAR THE STORIES ABOUT
THE GIANT CATFISH IN THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
ONE OF THE UNUSUAL THINGS WE
HAVE IN THE INT IS ALBINO
SNAPPING TURTLE.
IT WAS A GIFT FROM THE
PHILADELPHIA ZOO A FEW MONTHS
AGO.
WE HAVE A RIVER OTTER RIGHT NOW.
YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT HER.
SHE IS RIGHT OVER HERE.
THEY WERE THIS A GREAT DEAL OF
TROUBLE AND HUNTED EXTENSIVELY
OVER THE YEARS.
IOWA, ILLINOIS, MISSOURI, AND
SEVERAL OTHER STATES STARTED
BRINGING LIVER OTTERS TO
INTRODUCE THEM INTO THE AREA AND
IT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
RIVER OTTERS ARE EXTREMELY
PLAYFUL AND VERY POPULAR.
THE KIDS LOVE THEM.
MR. THE NEXT MAJOR INT YOU RUN
INTO IS THE BAYOU WHERE WE START
TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE
SUBTROPICAL HABITATS THAT THE
MISSISSIPPI RUNS INTO.
WE HAVE EIGHT FOOT LONG AMERICAN
ALLIGATOR, A FEMALE.
WELSO HAVE SEVERAL JUVENILE
ALLIGATORS WE USE FOR EDUCATION
PROGRAMS.
WE HAVE COW KNOWS, RAISED FROM
THE GULF OF MEXICO.
THEY SWIM A LITTLE WAYS UP THE
RIVER,.
, JUST NORTH OF NEW ORLEANS.
THERE ARE VARIOUS TYPES OF RAYS.
COW KNOWS RAYS ARE MORE OF AN
OPEN WATER FISH.
THEY SWIM UP IN THE WATER COLUMN
MORE.
THEY DON'T TEND TO SPEND A LOT
OF TIME ON THE BOTTOM.
THE WITH WET LAB IS VERY EXCITING PART OF THE MUSEUM. YOU CAN GO THERE AND GET UP
CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH THE MORE
UNUSUAL ANIMALS, CRAYFISH,
MUSSELS, SNAILS.
WE HAVE PELTS AND SINCE FROM
VARIOUS ANIMALS YOU CAN TOUCH.
THERE IS AN EDUCATOR ON HAND TO
ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
I THINK WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PEOPLE COME AWAY WITH IS DEEPER APPRECIATION OF THE RIVER AND
THE THINGS THAT LIVE IN AND
AROUND THE RIVER.
SO OFTEN WE TEND TO THINK OF
CONSERVATION AND WILD LIFE IN
TERMS OF THE PLAINS OF AFRICA OR
JUNGLES OF SOUTH AMERICA WHEN
REALLY WE HAVE THIS WONDERFULLY
DIVERSE ECOSYSTEMS RIGHT HERE IN
OUR OWN BACKYARDS.
THIS MUSEUM WAS RECENTLY NAMED AN AFFILIATE TO THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE AND AS SUCH HAS ACCESS
TO THE VAST COLLECTION.
THIS MUSEUM IS ALSO HOME TO THE
NATIONAL RIVERS HALL OF FAME.
IT IS AN ORGANIZATION WHOSE GOAL
IS TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY OF
THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE LEFT
THEIR MARK ON AMERICA'S RIVER.
ON DISPLAY ARE ARTIFACTS FROM
SOME OF THE RECIPIENTS OF THE
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.
THROUGHOUT THE HALL O FAME ARE
COMPUTER TERMINALS ALLOWING
VISITORS TO READ ABOUT THE
INDIVIDUAL INDUCTEES.
IT IS INFORMATION THAT IS ALSO
ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE MUSEUM'S
WEB SITE.
WE HAVE CHOSEN MARY GREENE WHO
MARRIED CAPTAIN GREENE IN 1890.
BY STANDING WATCH WITH HER
HUSBAND, SHE LEARNED THE TRADE
ACTION BE SHE RECEIVED A PILOT'S
LICENSE SIX YEARS LATER.
THEY EVENTUALLY BOUGHT THE DELTA
QUEEN AND SHEET CAPTAIN OF THAT
PRESTIGIOUS BOAT UNTIL SHE
PASSED AWAY IN 1949 IN HER CABIN
IN ADDITION TO THE COMPUTER
TERMINALS, THERE ARE THREE
THEATERS THAT RELATE PORTIONS OF
THE RIVER'S HISTORY. THERE ARE
ALSO INTERACTIVE DISPLAYS WHICH
EXPLORE ISSUES FACING WATER WAYS
TODAY AND FOR ASPIRING PILOTS,
THERE IS A TOWBOAT SIMULATOR.
ABOUT
AS WE HAVE SEEN, THIS IF IT IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE, HISTORY AND ANIMAL LIFE THAT SURROUND
AMERICA'S GREATEST RIVER.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE
NATIONAL MISSISSIPPI RIVER
MUSEUM AND CARE IUM, CALL 1-800
HAD-226-3369 OR GO TO THE WEB
SITE AT WWW.RIVERMUSEUM.COM.