Why Congress saved this Iowa riverboat from decommission for one final patriotic mission

M.V. Sergeant Floyd’s Journey from Workboat to Museum

The M. V. Sergeant Floyd started life as a tough workboat in 1932, bought by the government for $131,970.

For 43 years, this steel-hulled vessel tamed the wild Missouri River, moving men and setting buoys while flying the Kansas City District flag.

When newer boats made her job less vital, Congress gave her one last mission in 1975.

She then spent 18 months as America’s floating Bicentennial museum, cruising waterways to tell the Corps of Engineers’ story. After sitting unused in St. Louis, Sioux City rescued her in 1983.

Today, this historic vessel stands dry-docked in Iowa, where her pilothouse and original engines reveal a unique chapter of American river history.

Howard Shipyards Built a River Workhorse in 1932

Howard Shipyards in Jeffersonville, Indiana launched the M. V. Sergeant Floyd into the Ohio River on May 31, 1932. The U.S. Government paid $131,970 for this boat with its steel hull and wood-steel top.

She stretched 138. 4 feet long, measured 30 feet wide, and ran on two 300 HP diesel engines with single screw propellers.

The Corps of Engineers needed a sturdy boat for light towing, surveys, and inspections on tough inland waterways, especially the rough Missouri River.

Kansas City District Got Their New Flagship in 1933

The Army Corps of Engineers sent the new boat to their Missouri River Division in 1933. She worked for the Kansas City District throughout her career.

The Corps named her after Sergeant Charles Floyd, the only member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition who died during their journey. This workboat could reach speeds up to 11 knots in calm water.

The Floyd would spend over four decades working on one of America’s most unpredictable rivers.

Old Misery River Met Its Match

The Floyd started work in 1933 on Missouri River projects.

Crews used her to place navigation buoys marking safe channels through waters locals called “Old Misery. ” She moved men, equipment and supplies while supporting dredging operations.

Army engineers and lawmakers took inspection tours on the Floyd to check on progress. River workers often spotted her traveling the waterways during the 1930s and 1940s.

Engineers Fixed Her Shaky Start

Workers changed the Floyd’s hull in 1937 to fix vibration problems from her early days.

She kept working through World War II, towing barges and moving supplies for projects that helped control the wild Missouri.

Crews faced daily challenges from shifting channels, hidden logs, and seasonal floods that changed everything overnight. The boat maintained key navigation markers as more commercial traffic used the improved waterways.

Power Boost Kept Her Working Through the 1960s

The Floyd got a big upgrade in 1962-63 when workers swapped her original 300 HP engines for stronger 600 HP diesel motors. This extra power helped her handle tougher towing jobs and more demanding inspection duties.

She continued placing and checking navigation buoys that kept commercial traffic moving safely.

The boat supported Corps efforts to control the river through the 1960s, though her role slowly changed as the Missouri became more manageable.

Her River Work Slowly Wound Down

By the late 1960s, river projects neared completion, reducing the need for boats like the Floyd. The Corps brought in newer, cheaper equipment that used less fuel.

Major navigation structures stood finished after decades of work, changing how the Corps maintained the river. The Floyd still handled inspections and light towing, but did less each year.

By the mid-1970s, Corps officials planned to retire the aging boat.

Congress Saved Her for a Special Mission

Just before retirement, Congress stepped in during 1975 with a new job.

Lawmakers approved turning the Floyd into a floating Bicentennial exhibit to celebrate America’s 200th birthday. This last-minute change saved her from the scrapyard.

Workers turned the workboat into an educational museum ship.

The Floyd got ready for one final journey to show how Army Corps of Engineers projects helped build the nation.

She Traveled America’s Waterways as a Floating Museum

The newly converted museum boat started an 18-month tour in 1976, visiting towns along inland waterways and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

Thousands of people came aboard to learn about the Corps of Engineers’ history and work. The Floyd traveled the same waterways the Corps had spent decades improving.

Displays inside the boat showed how engineering projects helped national growth. Her journey honored the infrastructure that connected communities across America.

St. Louis Couldn’t Keep Her Afloat

After finishing her Bicentennial mission, the Floyd faced an unclear future. The Corps retired her and docked her in St. Louis as a floating museum. Few visitors came, and upkeep costs grew for the aging boat.

By 1983, the Department of General Services listed her for sale as extra government property. Despite her history, the Floyd needed a new home or risked ending up as scrap metal after her long service.

Sioux City Brought Her Home to Iowa

Sioux City leaders bought the boat in 1983, recognizing her connection to their area.

They chose this spot because Sergeant Charles Floyd died and was buried nearby during the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1804.

Workers moved the boat to Iowa and placed her in a permanent dry-dock at Larsen Park along the Missouri River waterfront.

The community embraced the historic vessel and started planning her new life as a permanent attraction.

From Workboat to National Historic Landmark

The transformed vessel opened as the Sergeant Floyd River Museum & Welcome Center, serving visitors in two important roles. She functions as both an official Iowa welcome center and a specialized river museum.

Visitors find America’s largest collection of Missouri River steamboat and keelboat models displayed throughout the boat. Rare photographs, artifacts, and detailed dioramas tell the story of river transportation history.

The federal government recognized her importance by designating the Floyd a National Historic Landmark in 1989, ensuring her preservation for future generations.

Visiting Sergeant Floyd Museum, Iowa

The Sergeant Floyd Museum at 1000 Larsen Park Road offers free admission to explore this former Corps of Engineers workboat that spent 43 years taming the Missouri River before becoming America’s floating Bicentennial museum.

You can take a self-guided tour through all three levels of the drydocked riverboat. The museum includes a galley gift shop and Iowa tourism information center.

Group tours need advance reservations at (712) 279-0198. Take I-29 exit 149 at Hamilton Boulevard.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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