Cruise the Willamette River on this fully restored tug – the last of its kind in the US. Truly a piece of living history! Snacks served and docents available for questions. Opportunities to visit the engine room and pilot house, as conditions allow. Our Naturalist and Historian will give a talk during the cruise on…
We lost another good one… Just learned today that Captain Jack Taylor passed away on April 12. A true ‘river rat’, Jack spent his life on the river as a towboater, skipper of the Steamer PORTLAND, and a Columbia River Pilot. He was the driving force behind restoring the Steamer and had been heavily involved…
Thank you to tank rats Lloyd and Dan for volunteering and scraping gunk off the hull’s interior in preparation for a USCG inspection. If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out our Volunteer Application. We’d love to have you!
We completed Cruise #3 of 2023 and it was a fine day to be out steaming on the river! Captain Clark Caffall throws out a wave from the wheelhouse. In the engine room, Kyle Nasman, Lloyd Harshberger and Kevin Wray man the operating platform. Meanwhile in the fire room, Bob Slover holds a steady 200…
In 1993, the Portland played the role of the gambling vessel Lauren Belle for the movie Maverick. The steamboat used in the film—dubbed the Lauren Belle—was the Portland, the last remaining sternwheel tugboat in the US; it belonged to the Oregon Maritime Museum in Portland. Over several weeks, the boat was decorated to alter its…
Are you or someone you know interested in the Oregon Maritime Museum’s collections and exhibitions? Do you enjoy learning and working with the public? Are you seeking a rewarding volunteer experience? Consider becoming a docent at the Oregon Maritime Museum. A maritime history background is not required – just an interest in learning and a…
The 70-year-old boat, its museum owners say, is the last steam-fueled, sternwheeler tugboat in operation. There are other sternwheelers, other steam boats, but none that worked as a ship-assist boat guiding larger vessels. The Portland is a one-of-a-kind connection to the city’s past. Read Full Story >