Str. Tell City

TELL CITY-The pride and joy of our community was the Str. Tell City which first landed at Tell City May 22, 1889 and prompted a big celebration on the levee. A trim, fast boat, over 200 feet long overall, she was owned and operated by the Louisville and Evansville Mail line Co., faithfully serving this area until 1916 when sold to the upper river. The Tell City sank April 6, 1917 at little Hocking, Ohio. Her pilot house still sits there as a summerhouse on a hill overlooking the river. Capt. Fred loll of Tell City was Master of this boat for many years, and Eugene Huthsteiner served as clerk on her.

Photo from Fred Way, Jr.

THE OHIO RIVER AND THE FACT THERE WAS A TRACT OF LAND FOR SALE HERE WERE TWO PRINCIPAL CONTRIBUTING

FACTORS IN DETERMINING LOCATION OF THE NEW CITY

(By Bert Fenn)

Without the river there would have been no Tell City as we know it today. It was the river that brought Tell City to this certain spot in 1858 – the river and the fact that right here was a tract of some 4,000 acres available for purchase. Those of us who have wondered why a swampy, wooded, hill terrain would ever be selected as a site for a planned city can stop wondering.