SPIRIT OF DUBUQUE

SPIRIT OF DUBUQUE. In 1977 the Robert KEHL launched the Spirit of Dubuque, a $350,000, 377-passenger paddle-wheeler. Christened on May 14th by Iowa Governor Robert Ray, the boat was built in Morgan City, Louisiana, by the Scully Brothers Boat Builders. (4) Using this boat, Kehl began offering his famous prime-rib dinner cruises once each week. By 1979 the dinners were served nightly. (1)

The Spirit of Dubuque was never used for RIVERBOAT GAMBLING. With their involvement in larger boats and gambling, the Kehls sold the boat in April 1994 to Walter and Nancy Webster. The new owners announced that they planned to operate the boat in the same tradition and rehire as many of the original employees as they could. The menu would be expanded for the dinner cruise and the boat would be available for sightseeing and charter cruises.(2)

Stationed at the Port of Dubuque, the "Spirit" was sold to Walt and Nancy Webster who opened Dubuque River Rides in 1994. Webster employed twenty-five people during summer months. This included those who worked at Ice Harbor Galley, a restaurant the Websters opened in 2004. On April 26, 2017 the Websters announced the sale of the boat and its relocation to Cincinnati. (3)

After it was sold and left Dubuque in 2017 for Cincinnati, Ohio, it was renamed Spirit of Cincinnati and is operated by Queen City Riverboats. (4)

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Source:

1. Bergstrom, Kathy. "Couple Buys Spirit," Telegraph Herald, April 28, 1994, p. 3A

2. Ibid.

3. Montgomery, Jeff. " 'Spirit' Setting Sail for Cincinnati," Telegraph Herald, April 27, 2017, p. 1A

4. Gardener, Melissa, e-mail, August 12, 2021