"The Rowena"
The Steamboat Rowena first appeared on the Cumberland River around 1912.
Alexander Massey, a native of Burnside, was the first man to successfully develop a system of transporting cargo down the Cumberland River. He used temporary barges manned by a small crew to ship merchandise downstream. Massey started the foundation for future steamboat navigation and formed the Massey Transportation Company.
The Steamboat "Warrenn" was purchased and rebuilt into the "Rowena." The "Rowena" and the "Celina" the sister of the two were the most popular Burnside Steamboats used as freight, cargo and passenger steamboats.
Towns below Monticello like Albany and Burksville, had no roads except muddy roads, so the steamboats were the only source of dependable transportation for poultry, lumber and things of that nature and the list of cargo would soon increase.
The "Celina" and "Rowena" frequently overlapped the territory of the Nashville boats between Carthage and Celina, however they seldom traveled to the Nashville wharf. The steamboats went on to transport merchandise for farmers and livestock , staples, food, clothing, varieties of merchandise, skins and furs that were traded down the Cumberland River. The "Rowena" was unique because it also transported passengers and had well remembered tasty meals served to them as well included in the price of the passenger fare. The dining room of the "Rowena" consisted of one row of tables with space to feed twenty people at one time.
Click Here to see the dining area
In 1928 highways and good roads were built and the early 1900's brought the coming of motor trucks, and put an end to river navigation and the riverboats were no longer needed or in demand. The steamboats are remembered to this day as being responsible for the growth and backbone of the economy and trade all along the Cumberland River.
According to a log book owned to this day by Stewart Porter, the "Rowena's" last arrival at the Greasy Creek Landing was December 10th, 1933. An entry in the log says the "Rowena" started from Paducah on June 19th, 1934 and sunk at the head of the Greasy Creek shoals on June 20th.
Both the "Rowena" and "Celina" were purchased in 1932 for $150.00 and $100.00 from a Burnside firm, "Burnside & Burksville Transportation Co" by H.P. (Paul) Dunbar. In 1934 the two steamboats were sold to Paducah's John F. Cline
The "Rowena" also has its own landing named after it.
