Kentucky preservationist Don Clare has nominated the Delta Queen to the National Trust’s 2009 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. We’ll find out in late April whether or not she makes the final cut, but in the meantime the Trust is helping the cause with this story on its website, PreservationNation: Delta Queen Steamboat.

Please join us in thanking our friends at the Trust for coming to our aid. You can do that at info@nthp.org. And if you haven’t done so already, please second Don Clare’s nomination of the boat to the 11 Most Endangered List: 11Most@nthp.org.

On Wednesday, the Delta Queen arrived at Chattanooga and having been given a warm welcome. Harry Phillips is leasing the Delta Queen to operate her as a hotel, supposedly opening as early as April this year. While on the way from New Orleans to her new home, invited volunteers did a great job in polishing every piece of brass on the boat, fixing things, preparing her for her arrival at Chattanooga. More than ever, she’s the Queen of the rivers. She seams to be in good hands and being in service, at least as a hotel, protects her from rotting away in the hot and humid climate down at New Orleans.

Still, we belief she belongs to the rivers, as overnight cruise vessel. Still, we continue to fight for an exemption so she’ll be able to return to the rivers as soon as possible.

News Coverage of the Delta Queen’s arrival at Chattanooga

Steamboats.org reporter Ed Jones has posted a report from the Delta Queen’s arrival at Chattanooga and also has a lot of pictures from that day.

Great local news coverage also comes from an excellent reporter, Elizabeth Ryan, at the Chattanooga Times Free Press: All hail to the Queen.