In the 1800’s seeing a boat like the American Queen, slowly making its way up the Mississippi River, was commonplace. This was the lifeblood of transportation for middle America and many people settling in the West. I can only imagine how much of an event the arrival of one of these boats would have been in a small river town. Heck even today, I get a sense of excitement when I see the Queen slowly coming around a distant bend in the river.