The Lindy Lou
The Lindy Lou, an electric powered river launch, is ready for boarding.
The mission of this new attraction is to provide passengers with a chance to recapture those days from the late 1890s through the 1930s when launches plied the Black River delivering guests to resorts, taking picnickers to up-river parks and pavilions, and generally helping fill the lazy hours of summer with relaxing diversions.
The Lindy Lou makes daily cruises on the Black River (five a day Friday through Tuesday and twice in the evening on Wednesdays and Thursdays), boarding at the Museum and cruising first downstream to the River clock at the foot of North Shore Drive, then traveling upstream to the covered bridge on the North Branch of the river and finally returning to the Orley dock at the Museum. Each cruise will cover about six miles and last an hour. The craft will also be available for groups and families to charter and a curriculum is currently taking shape that will use the launch to provide an educational experience for area students.
A new exhibit called Cruisin’ Down the River featuring artifacts, photos and stories depicting history on and along the Black River is opening in the Museum's Aker's Gallery in conjunction with the launch of the Lindy Lou. The Lindy Lou provides a second 'on water' experience for Museum visitors. The Museum offers historical sails on Lake Michigan with the tall ship Friends Good Will, and the new launch cruises offer a totally different experience exploring the rich history of the Black River.
The hull of the launch was constructed over the winter in Slocum, Rhode Island by the Beckmann Boatshop. Made of fiberglass, it was formed on a mold taken from an original Truscott River Launch. Truscott Launches were made in St. Joseph, Michigan and could be found on lakes and rivers throughout the United States at the turn of the century. Like many launches of that period, the Lindy Lou is powered by an electric motor. All the finish work on the launch, including cutting and installing cherry wood decking and building a structure to support the craft's canvas top, was done by Museum staff and volunteers in the Padnos Boat Shed on the Museum's campus.
