The Spirit of Des Moines Dinner boat will cruise again
Posted on August 9, 2007 in Around the metro by DM
Remember the Spirit of Des Moines? That’s the paddlewheel dinner boat that used to cruise the Des Moines River back in the early 1990’s. If you’ve lived here long enough, you might recall that the Spirit met an untimely end when a drunken woman untied it from its moorings one night and set it afloat. It ended up topside down at the Center Street Dam in June, 1995.
Well, guess what: The Spirit returns!! Boat co-owner Michael LaValle was kind enough to send me this little scoop via email on his timeline:
I have been meeting with City of Des Moines officials for locations on the river to complete the in-water phase of renovations. The plan is to move the boat first part of September. Docks purchased in West Virginia should arrive end of August. This fall will be basically a “Shake Down” cruise scenario as we return the vessel to service ready conditions. The boat will be a jewel box that anyone would love to ride on (especially me!) next Spring…
Michael hints that the journey back has been somewhat mind-boggling - I hope he’ll share some of those details in the near future. For now, I’m thrilled to learn that the Spirit will soon paddle again along the Des Moines River!
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I thought about the Spirit this week as I was reading in the online Register about the end of the riverboat gambling era in Iowa. The Mississippi Belle II will take her final cruise this fall from Clinton, Iowa, and that got me wondering what would happen to the boat itself once it was retired - would it continue as a tourism venue, perhaps get into the wedding, reception, and corporate meeting arena? Those are definitely things to think about!)
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Oh how fun! I cannot wait! That will be so neat! Thanks for keeping us updated!
I’ll get my MEME up in the morning on my blog.
And I love that MeME on a stick. I can’t wait for a Grinder. Mmmmm! And the fudge! Oh, gonna get a lb or 2. LOL
Heather, can’t wait to read it. This “Spirit” story is really cool - I’d love to watch them put the boat in the water next month! ~ j.
We have lived on the Des Moines River for 24 years. Our kids grew up watching the Spirit of Des Moines go down the river behind our house. The Captain would blow the horn when he went by if he saw us out in the yard.
My son had his birthday party on the the Spirit of Des Moines one year. It must have been his 7th or 8th birthday since it has been gone 13 years.
One time we went on an afternoon cruise when my brothers were here from the West Coast. We were the only ones on the cruise and the Captain let my sons hold the wheel for a minute. They will remember that the rest of their lives!
We were really upset to hear of the fate of the Spirit of Des Moines! I have pictures from the top of 801 Grand when it was laying on it’s side at the damn. We have missed it very much. We saw it when it was pulled out and laying near the Botanical Center. We saw it was parked for several years on the south side while being restored.
We finally saw the article in the Des Moines Register about it being done and being put back in the water. It was scheduled for a day in December but there was an ice storm. We drove by the marina a week or so later & saw the paddle wheel so figured it had made it.
In the spring we saw it sitting on the water! We were all ready to go for a ride until the flood came again. We are anxiously awaiting the “Shake Down” cruise and going on the Spirit of Des Moines once again!
Diane, it’s wonderful to hear from someone who remembers the Spirit well! I haven’t chatted with Michael for a few months, but last I heard (early June) the boat was doing okay and not in TOO much danger with the high water - but, then with the actual flooding that took place I’m not sure what happened. The boat is still there - but I do not think it cruised this year. Thanks for reading - Janet