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Riverfront comes alive ahead of Sternwheel Festival

By Gwen Sour 3 min read

MARIETTA -- The 50th annual Ohio River Sternwheel Festival is days away, but visitors were already gathering along Marietta's riverfront to enjoy the boats, history and the renovated levee.

For Lou Wendell of St. Albans, W.Va., the days before the festival are part of the celebration.

"This is when the fun is," Wendell said about arriving in Marietta a week early.

Wendell, captain of the Rufus B II, has brought the boat to Marietta for 33 years and has attended the festival since 1976. The vessel is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

Built in 1926, the Rufus B II was originally called the Freddie Boy. Wendell said it was built for a Chicago attorney who entertained clients aboard it.

According to Wendell, books about the boat include stories of notorious Chicago gangster Al Capone spending time aboard the vessel.

Dr. Bettler purchased the boat in 1963 and changed its name to Rufus B II after his wife, whom he called Rufus, Wendell said.

"We decided to keep the name," he said.

Wendell said the river, the people and the leisurely pace of traveling by boat have kept him returning to Marietta.

"I like the river, the people," he said. "It's just a lot of fun, a lot of travel at our pace."

Other visitors also were enjoying their return to the Mid-Ohio Valley.

Greg Haught, who is originally from St. Marys, but now lives in Missouri, returned with friends for the festival and its fireworks display.

"We're coming back for Sternwheel," Haught said. "We like to come back for the fireworks."

Haught said he previously worked at the Lafayette Hotel and plans to watch the fireworks from its roof. The festival's 50th anniversary gave the group another reason to return this year.

"We definitely wanted to experience it," he said.

Haught also has family in the area, allowing the visitors to combine the festival with a week of family gatherings, meals and visits with friends.

The group also planned to explore Marietta's renovated waterfront. Haught said it was his first time seeing the completed improvements.

"It's pretty nice," he said.

Bonnie Dale said the group had been enjoying "lots of good food" and spending time with friends ahead of the festival.

Not everyone exploring the levee this week came to Marietta for the celebration.

Dan Bucklew of Canton, Ohio, was in town for his wife's family reunion and did not plan to remain through the festival. Carrying a camera as he walked along the riverfront, Bucklew said he was taking pictures of "whatever gets in front of my camera."

"There's a lot of history here," he said. "We've visited on several occasions in the past with family."

The Ohio River Sternwheel Festival will run Friday through Sunday along the Ohio River Levee. The free festival will include sternwheel boats, live entertainment, vendors, children's activities, the Queen Genevieve coronation, a car show and boat races.

The Harry J. Robinson Fireworks display is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Saturday. The Capt. James E. Sands Memorial Boat Races will begin at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Gwen Sour can be reached at gsour@newsandsentinel.com.

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