Along The Mississippi - Part 6

Continuing our journey on the Mississippi aboard the new Queen of the Mississippi of American Cruise Lines from St Louis to Memphis… 

We stayed anchored in Paducah almost overnight and it quickly became clear our riverboat was as much an attraction for the locals as the town was for us. A steady stream of cars drove by throughout the evening, cruising by as slowly as possible so as not to get a ticket for parking!

The Queen of the Mississippi may be a familiar-looking vessel in historical terms, but it is a good few years since the cruise-going traffic was a regular visitor hereabouts, hence it is a welcome sight once again, as well as being a great travel vehicle for those on board.

We eventually sailed at 4am which meant we were slowly returning along the Ohio River as we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and the latest in a series of fascinating talks from our Riverlorian Jim, taking A Journey Through Time in the story of the mighty Mississippi.

As Jim was finishing up his talk, it became clear we were slowly navigating our way into our next port of call. Now, we had come across some fairly small stops on the river in the course of the first few days, but nothing quite prepared us for the view when we pulled into Columbus, Kentucky.  

Our first reaction was 'Have we stopped short of the town?' Our second reaction was 'OK, where IS it?' And our third reaction was 'Huh??'

In truth, there was a town (or village) of Columbus, but it was situated at a safe height from the river, up a small hill and completely out of sight of our boat. We were told the local population numbered all of 160, so we weren't expecting anything grand, and Susan's hope of a little morning shopping expedition was completely torpedoed.

Our ship excursion, to the Columbus-Belmont State Park & Museum (a Trail of Tears and Civil War National heritage Site) wasn't scheduled until after lunch, so we postponed any pre-meal wanderings in favour of coffee in the welcoming Sky Lounge and then the usual mid-day meal at 12.30.

A series of three 12-seater buses was there on the dot of 2pm ready to take us to the State Park, which turned out to be a small but beautifully wooded park on a large bluff overlooking the river (and dubbed the Gibraltar of the West). It consisted of an old mansion house converted into the museum, a small gift shop and, er, that's about it. But the setting was stunning and the history was compelling - this was a key Civil War site in the battle for control of the rivers - and they provided several interpreters in period costume, while, with the trees in full fall foliage, the overall look of the place was extremely eye-catching.

Back on board, we all agreed that Columbus probably wasn't the most enticing of our ports of call, and we wouldn't be in a hurry to return but, once again, we had learned more about the river and the Civil War than we expected, and, coming from Florida where the change to autumn consists merely of a change in temperature from 90F to 80F, it was a welcome change of scenery.

After the obligatory Cocktail Hour - this had really become a key social event by now, full of convivial bonhomie - and another excellent dinner, highlighted by a tasty French Onion Soup and a main course of Steel Head Trout, we were able to kick back in the Magnolia Lounge with the docu-drama 'Trail of Tears: The Cherokee Legacy,' and put another nail in the coffin of President Andrew Jackson and his fellow land-thieves. Sad and tragic and all too true.

Up next - New Madrid, Missouri.

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Along the Mississippi - Part 5

Continuing our journey on the Mississippi aboard the new Queen of the Mississippi of American Cruise Lines from St Louis to Memphis…

It was pretty clear by Day 4 that our journey along the waterways of the mighty Mississippi was very much one of small-town America, taking in the kind of places that might have been significant stopping points for Mark Twain but which the world has largely by-passed ever since.

Alton and Cape Giradeau were certainly charming enough, but their 19th century roots were still clearly showing. They offered a fascinating, if slightly jaded, view of their waterside history, yet they were struggling to remain relevant in a 21st century world that has little time for that sedentary pace.

And then we came to Paducah. Like Cape Girardeau, this key river town is sealed off behind an impressive river wall, but there the similarity ended, as this Kentucky town offers much more in the way of modern sensibilities, from the award-winning National Quilt Museum and state-of-the-art concert venue to the sprinkling of vibrant art galleries and boutiques, while remaining in touch with its heritage via the Tilghman House & Civil War Museum, the River Heritage Museum and the surprising Railroad Museum.

Although two tours were offered, at a modest $35 and $15 per person, we decided to strike out on our own this time as everything was on a very walkable scale, yet still offered plenty to see and do given a full day in town. 

We learned Paducah's Civil War history with John, an excellent docent at the Tilghman House (former home of the railroad tycoon who became a fine Confederate officer before his death, along with his son, at the Battle of Champion Hill, near Vicksburg); we soaked up the 20th century railroad history and a truly wonderful train simulator experience, where we both got to sit in a half-size Amtrak engine mock-up complete with genuine controls, sounds, 3-D screen and other special effects; and we dived into the full River Heritage, learning how the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers have shaped the region for centuries (while also trying our hand at a neat riverboat simulator).

We browsed a dozen or more shops, all with unique, individual styles and stopped for  lunch at Kirchhoff's Deli, where fresh sandwiches and salads made for a tempting array and the neighbouring Etcetera Coffeehouse served a delicious Spanish Latte. There were at least half a dozen other alluring alternatives and, while the weather wasn't exactly balmy, the day here passed in total enjoyment.

Was it action-packed and dazzling? No. Was it busy and bustling? No. Was it beguiling and thoughtful? Absolutely. And we'd go back in a heartbeat, just because - like almost everywhere else - they had some of the friendliest people we've met, and the town had some genuine fascinations, both period and modern.

Back on board, dinner that night featured superb Sweet Corn Chowder, Gulf Swordfish and Blueberry Cobbler that set the seal on a great day. To top it off, local country and bluegrass musician Alonzo Pennington entertained one and all in the Magnolia Lounge and we were truly in the heart of the Mississippi (OK, the Ohio River) as we signed off for the day.

Up next - Columbus, Kentucky.

PS: Like Cape Giradeau, Paducah boasted a superb array of murals along their riverwall, and it's worth adding a few pics of that, as, if anything, they were even more striking than their Missouri neighbour.

 

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