Celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the filming of the movie Maverick on the Portland

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 appearance to resemble a Mississippi-style gambling boat, including the addition of two decorative chimneys. In August 1993, the production requested permission to film scenes of the riverboat along the Columbia River in Washington State. The artificial smoke released by the boat’s chimney was considered to violate air-quality laws in Washington and Oregon and required approval for the scenes before their scheduled filming date in September 1993. After filming concluded, the decorations were removed and the boat was returned to its original state.

Maverick starred many famous actors and actresses, including Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, James Garner and many others.