Stop #1: The Delta King

• First stop on the path toward progress! 

• The Delta King and Delta Queen, sister steamboats were built in Glasgow Scotland and Stockton California, serving Sacramento from 1927 to 1940, and sailed along the Sacramento river to San Francisco transporting people and goods, a party the whole 10.5 hour long trip! 

• The Delta Monarchs get drafted! 1940 brings out the sense of service in all Americans, and it was no different for our famous steamboats. Both start service with the US Navy reservists for troop transport, barracks, and floating hospital. 

• End of war sees the ships part ways, the Queen leaves for Panama and then arrives in Mississippi river to serve as the new star of the Delta Queen Steamboat Company. The King watches her leave with her heart, (Literally, the queen takes the Kings engines as spare parts, ouch!).    

• The King tries to find new work but ends up in snowbound Kitimat Canada as a rooming house for working men at an aluminum manufacturing plant. 

• The King returns to San Francisco via inglorious shuttle and is finally recognized in 1978 by the National Register of Historic Places, but she is missing much of her finery, including her paddlewheel and formerly beautiful interior. 

• 1981 The King sinks into the San Francisco Bay, mysteriously! A year later she is raised up with little damage, but she’s still a fine ship with fine needs and her restoriation bears a heavy price tag. 

• 1984 two brave brothers from the Coyne family decide to purchase the Delta King and restore her to her former glory! It only takes 5 years and $9 million! 

• 1989 The King finally returns to her hometown, shaking off the past indignities and former service to return to her partying days in Old Town Sacramento, hosting weddings and murder mystery night dinner theaters (with one mystery that will never be solved!), hosting a fine dining restaurant and acting as a hotel. 

• What the Delta King represents: pride of Sacramento, technological advancement, a love of the nightlife, service to our nation, international alliances, and solidarity between states. She was built by skilled specialized trades and designed to last many a storm. 

• The Delta King serves our community, not the other way around. And Sacramentoans don’t bow to ANY monarch. Sacramento expects its leaders to respect its people, protect all its communities, and maintain our integrity in harsh times. That’s the spirit of the Delta King. Our rich history is hard won. 

• We demand a future, free of self-appointed monarchs, and aim to build that future with the Delta King Spirit in mind. The finery, the strength, integrity, and the commitment to service. 

  • Resources:

    • https://www.deltaking.com/

    • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_King 

    • https://visitcadelta.com/what-to-do/history/historical-places/the-delta-king/ 

    • https://steamboats.com/museum/davet-photosdeltaking.html 

    • https://www.steamboats.org/steamboat-pictures/delta-king.html