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TO ORDER BOOKS- Click on TITLE below / takes you to AMAZON.com
TRAVELING THE GREAT RIVER ROAD Click for Paperback or Kindle Edition
ALL ABOUT TOWBOATS Click for Paperback or Kindle Edition
PILOTHOUSE DAYS Click for Paperback or Kindle Edition
DECKHAND DAYS Click for Paperback or Kindle Edition
LOVE STORIES Click for Paperback or Kindle Edition
HOT off the presses! TRAVELING THE GREAT RIVER ROAD
Another Noteworthy New Book!
Author Tom Struve delivers another outstanding reference work, filled with fascinating discoveries and behind-the-scenes insights into America's river towns, river professionals, and the rich lore of America’s inland waterways. In Traveling the Great River Road, join Tom, his wife Shannon, and their dog, Riley, as they journey 2,500 miles along the Mississippi River—from Venice, Louisiana, to Lake Itasca, Minnesota. Following the legendary Great River Road, they explore America’s hidden interior, uncovering remarkable landmarks, unforgettable characters, and the unique cultures that thrive along the river. This highly praised book brings readers face-to-face with the true spirit of the Mississippi. (Kindle editions available.)
Readers who want to go even deeper into river life will also enjoy Tom’s companion books, All About Towboats and Pilothouse Days. These engaging works answer the questions everyone asks: What are towboats really like? How do pilots guide massive tows through the nation’s inland waterways? Step inside the pilothouse, listen to real conversations, experience the motion of the river, and meet the skilled men and women who keep America’s commerce moving. Together, these three books form an essential collection for anyone fascinated by the Mississippi River and the powerful towboats that navigate its waters.
Get your copies today and experience the river through the eyes of someone who has lived it.
Resources for American Cruise Lines Guests
Selected exclusively for you
After spending much of my life working, navigating, and studying America’s inland rivers, it is my privilege to share this information with you aboard ship.
Below, you will find links to videos, maps, reports, historical data, books, & references, book recommendations, and local insights that bring the river to life during and beyond our time together.
I hope that these resources will deepen your understanding of our remarkable river communities, river transportation & commerce, and the people who make America’s inland waterways so extraordinary.
I invite you to explore, discover, and continue your learning long after your cruise experience concludes.
Your ACL journey never truly ends—it simply continues here.
Welcome to Your Ohio River Cruise
Please click on the BOLD underlined headings below and enjoy the information available there
Ohio River Valley Highlights
Click on underlined to open the link below
The Official State of Ohio Site
Ohio celebrates America’s 250th anniversary highlighting the people, places, and stories that define the state. From scenic trails and iconic filming locations to vibrant murals, hometown picnics, and signature events, communities across Ohio are bringing history to life in exciting ways.
River to Rail: The Ohio River -America's Great Highway
Flowing nearly 1,000 miles from Pittsburgh to Cairo, the Ohio River has long been one of America's most important transportation corridors, carrying people, commerce, and culture since Native American times.
The Ohio River Scenic Byway is a time-worn and history-rich corridor and a common thread joining a geographically broad and culturally diverse region together.
Mid-Ohio River Valley Tourism. Charming towns, riverfront cities, and historical sites devoted to West Virginia’s oil and gas industry, along with famous mansions, theaters, taverns and dime stores.
On-shore itineraries, visitors guide, water trail, and river town events. From floodwall murals and Underground Railroad history to ancient Earthworks to historic mansions and steamboat era past.
Exploring the Lewis and Clark Trail Along the Ohio River
State of the art visitor centers, museums, and attractions that document their epic adventures
Visit the USA -Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Region
Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky form one of America's great river metropolitan regions, where the Ohio River has united commerce, culture, and transportation for more than 200 years. Together they offer a blend of historic riverfront neighborhoods, iconic bridges, world-class museums, professional sports, and vibrant entertainment, all connected by the river that built the region.
Ohio River Book Suggestions
Click on underlined to open the link
The Beautiful River by Sybil Drew
A complete History of the Ohio River
Details the Ohio River, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War, the Steamboat Era, evolution of the lock and dam system, and rise and decline of twentieth and twenty-first century river industries, as well as the colourful local histories of 200 river towns.
The Ohio River by John Ed Pierce
The scenes, the echoes of history, the rhythms of life for those who call he Ohio River home
Always a River: The Ohio River and the American Experience by Robert Reid
The settlement period of the river, its economic importance, the different phases of engineering over time, and the river as an eco-political system.
Waterways of Westward Expansion: the Ohio River and it's Tributaries by Archer Butler Hulbert
This comprehensive study of the Ohio River and its tributaries examines the role that waterways played in America's westward expansion.
The Keelboat Age on Western Waters By Leland Baldwin The story of river boating in the West before the invention of the steamboat. Types of craft in use, the different methods of locomotion, and the art of navigation on uncharted rivers full of hidden obstacles.
Steamboats on the Western Rivers; An Economic and Technological History by Louis C Hunter
This excellent steamboat resource book is available online in the Google Library.
Includes a majority of 6,000 passenger and freight steamers that plied the waters of America's Inland River System. Each steamboat by rig, class, engines, boilers, the shipyard where and when built, along with history on its use, demise, and/or conversion
Ohio River Ports of Call
Click on underlined to open the link
Known as the "City of Bridges," Pittsburgh is the birthplace of the Ohio River and one of America's great river cities. Its remarkable transformation from an industrial powerhouse to a center of innovation, culture, and recreation makes it one of the nation's most compelling urban success stories.
Wheeling was once the western edge of the young United States and a bustling crossroads of commerce and migration. Today, its historic streets, elegant Victorian architecture, iconic suspension bridge, and remarkable Civil War heritage make it one of the Ohio River Valley's most fascinating river cities.
Founded in 1788 as the first permanent settlement in the Northwest Territory, Marietta is flush in frontier history, beautifully preserved architecture, and river heritage.
Known as the "Queen City of the West," Cincinnati rose to prominence as one of America's greatest river cities, where commerce, culture, and westward expansion converged. Today, its historic neighborhoods, iconic skyline, celebrated arts, and revitalized riverfront stretching into Northern Kentucky make it one of the Ohio River's true gems.
Nestled along the scenic banks of the Ohio River, Madison is one of America's best-preserved historic river towns. Its beautifully restored 19th-century architecture, rich steamboat heritage, and vibrant downtown have earned it recognition as one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the United States.
Louisville, Kentucky, is the largest city on the Ohio River, where river commerce, bourbon, horse racing, and Southern hospitality have shaped its identity for more than two centuries. Home to the Kentucky Derby, the world-famous Louisville Slugger baseball bats, and a vibrant waterfront, it blends historic charm with a thriving modern cultural scene.
Lower Mississippi Highlights
Lower Mississippi ACL Ports of Call
Lower Mississippi ACL Ports of Call
Click on underlined to open the link
Navigation Charts of the Lower Mississippi River Charts from Cairo, IL to the Gulf of Mexico
The Lower Mississippi between Baton Rouge and New Orleans is one of the largest tonnage ports in the Western Hemisphere, handling grain exports, petrochemicals, crude oil, fertilizers, and steel, connecting Midwestern farms and industries to global markets. Click on underlined to open the link
Navigation Charts of the Lower Mississippi River Charts from Cairo, IL to the Gulf of Mexico
The Lower Mississippi between Baton Rouge and New Orleans is one of the largest tonnage ports in the Western Hemisphere, handling grain exports, petrochemicals, crude oil, fertilizers, and steel, connecting Midwestern farms and industries to global markets.
Mississippi River Bridges and Structures
A comprehensive list and description of the bridges across the Mississippi River
1881–1897 Lower Mississippi Map
Detailed historic survey map from the Ohio River confluence to the Gulf of Mexico, including mile distances.
Normans Charts of Lower Mississippi - 1858 A famous historic map showing plantations, towns, ferry crossings, and landmarks between Natchez and New Orleans.
Lower Mississippi River Conservation Commission Maps
PDF maps showing river reaches, trails, fishing spots, water trails, and conservation areas along the Lower Mississippi.
Lower Mississippi Interactive Mile-Marker Map
A GIS dataset of navigable mile markers along the Lower Mississippi — excellent for research, mapping projects, or custom graphics.
Lower Mississippi Meander Maps
A database offering access to historic “Meandering Course of the Lower Mississippi” maps.
A National Scenic Byway and All-American Road following nearly 3,000 miles of the Mississippi River through 10 states. Explore rich history, must-see attractions, and essential regional insights.
A mile-by-mile guide to the Lower Mississippi for canoeists, kayakers, and other human-powered adventurers.
Lower Mississippi ACL Ports of Call
Lower Mississippi ACL Ports of Call
Lower Mississippi ACL Ports of Call
Click on the underlined / BOLD to open the link
New Orleans pulses with French, Spanish, and American influences. Discover the stories, the culture, and the energy for yourself.
New Orleans Do-not-miss Attractions
An hour west of Baton Rouge, Vacherie is home to Oak Alley, Whitney, & Laura plantations — stunning antebellum landmarks that tell powerful stories of the river’s plantation past.
Louisiana’s capital stands on bluffs above the Mississippi, where plantation history, Civil War battlefields, and a thriving modern port meet outstanding museums and sweeping river views.
Nestled between Baton Rouge and Natchez, St. Francisville charms visitors with its preserved 19th-century homes, graceful plantations, and relaxed riverfront atmosphere along the Great River Road.
Often called the “Crown Jewel of the Old South,” Natchez sits high above the river. A former cotton powerhouse now renowned for its magnificent antebellum homes, tours, and nearly 1,000 National Register landmarks overlooking the Mississippi.
Perched on commanding bluffs, Vicksburg was the Civil War’s “Key to the South.” Today, it's national military park, historic downtown, & riverfront museums bring that pivotal story to life.
Famous worldwide as the birthplace of the blues. Home of Beale Street & Graceland, Memphis sits on the Mississippi River’s eastern bank. The city's riverfront revitalization connects history, music, and commerce. Memphis Attractions Map
Lower Mississippi Book Suggestions
Lower Mississippi ACL Ports of Call
Lower Mississippi Book Suggestions
Click on underlined to open the link
Old Man River: The Mississippi River In North American History - By Paul Schneider
A sweeping cultural and historical narrative of the Mississippi’s impact on American growth, economy, culture, and identity over centuries.
A New Guide for Emigrants to the West
A Fascinating Immigrants "guidebook" about the Mississippi River Valley, printed in 1836
The Great River: The Making and Unmaking
of the Mississippi -by Boyce Upholt
An excellent modern history exploring how humans have tried to control, tame, and reshape the river — from natural evolution to massive engineering. Highly recommended for readers interested in environmental history.
Wicked River: Mississippi When It Last Ran Wild -by Lee Sandlin
A fascinating non-fiction tale of the river before modern levees — wild, unpredictable, and central to life on its banks.
The Control of Nature -by John McPhee
An essay on how humans try to tame nature, including turning the Mississippi’s course — great environmental writing.
Life on the Mississippi -by Mark Twain
Timeless classic combining personal experience as a steamboat pilot with rich historical and cultural observation. Twain paints a vivid picture of the river’s power, mystery, and role in shaping early America.
When the Mississippi Ran Backwards: Empire, Intrigue, Murder,& the New Madrid Earthquakes
An intriguing blend of history and unusual geological events- the New Madrid earthquakes of the early 1800s that dramatically altered the river’s course.
Steamboats and the Story of the Delta Queen
Stories about historic riverboats like the Delta Queen — celebrating their place in river culture and history
Mississippi Solo: A River Quest -by Eddy Harris
Part memoir, part adventure travelogue — the author canoes the entire length of the Mississippi alone, capturing the river’s beauty, danger, and the people he meets along the way.
Lower Mississippi Enviromental
Lower Mississippi Civil War Books
Lower Mississippi Book Suggestions
Click on the underlined to open the link
Merlin- An Excellent Bird Identification Site
Lower Mississippi River Conservation Blueprint StoryMap
A visual habitat plan and conservation strategy map
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – Lower Mississippi
Official federal coordination office for conservation, species data, GIS maps, habitat plans, and projects across the Lower Mississippi region.
U.S. Geological Survey -Mississippi River
A science dashboard, spatial data, water quality monitoring, and river science research. Basin-wide resources, including Lower Mississippi projects.
Lower Mississippi Conservation Committee
Science-based overview of the Lower Mississippi River, conservation reaches, batture landscapes, and habitat features along the free-flowing river.
Mississippi River Basin-The Nature Conservancy
brings you an ambitious collection of information and links about river resilience and protection of natural habitats along rivers
Corps of Engineers Lower Mississippi River Environmental Program providing habitat mapping, ecological inventory data, and resource information for river levees and floodplain lands.
Mississippi River Network
A coalition of wildlife, conservation, and river health organizations working collectively across the entire Mississippi River, including Lower Mississippi watershed initiatives, educational resources, maps, and advocacy tools.
Mississippi River Trust
Regional land conservation organization that supports habitat protection, floodplain restoration, and Lower Mississippi ecosystem health. Offers maps and project details for conservation
Find a Park- Lower Mississippi Region
Lower Mississippi Itineraries and Trails
Map of Louisiana Wildlife Areas
Map of Mississippi's Wildlife Recreation Areas
Arkansas's Wildlife Management Areas
Tennessee Wildlife Refuges Map
Lower Mississippi Civil War Books
Lower Mississippi Civil War Books
Lower Mississippi Civil War Books
Click on underlined / BOLD to open the link
Thunder Across the Swamp: The Fight for the Lower Mississippi, Feb-May 1863
A detailed narrative of Union efforts to cut Confederate logistics along the lower Mississippi and Louisiana bayou country, highlighting riverine warfare, cavalry raids, and infantry clashes.
Hardluck Ironclad: The Sinking and Salvage of the Cairo
On the morning of December 12, 1862, the Union gunboat Cairo, nosing her way up the Yazoo River north of Vicksburg, Mississippi, triggered two Confederate demijohn mines. Within minutes the 512-ton ironclad had sunk to the muddy bottom with no loss of life. The author tells how he and two other Civil War historians discovered the Cairo almost a century later -- much of the gear aboard just as it was when the crew abandoned her -- and how she was later salvaged and restored.
Blood on the Bayou: Vicksburg, Port Hudson, and the Lower Mississippi
Covers the decisive mid-1863 campaigns that secured Union dominance of the Mississippi River by capturing Vicksburg & Port Hudson, & explains the Trans-Mississippi theater’s role in those operations.
Vicksburg: Grants Campaign That Broke the Confederacy
A comprehensive account of Ulysses S. Grant’s famed Vicksburg campaign (1862–63), emphasizing strategy, battles, and the siege’s pivotal role in splitting the Confederacy.
American Civil War Fortifications: The Mississippi and River Forts
Osprey’s illustrated series exploring the river’s strategic fortifications (including Vicksburg, New Orleans, Port Hudson, etc.) and how they were built and fought over during the war.
April 1865: The Month that Saved America
An influential narrative history that focuses on the closing month of the Civil War and how the final decisions and battles shaped the end of the Confederacy and the future of the nation.
A comprehensive military history of the Battle of Gettysburg, acclaimed for its balance of strategy, eyewitness accounts, and analysis.
The Killer Angels NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Remarkable" (Ken Burns), "Utterly absorbing" (Forbes) Civil War classic that inspired the film Gettysburg, with more than three million copies in print
Lower Mississippi Civil War Archives / Maps
Lower Mississippi Civil War Books
Lower Mississippi Civil War Books
Click on underlined / BOLD to open the link
Vicksburg National Military Park Maps and Brochures
Modern park maps with overlays of Civil War siege features
Historic Maps - Siege of Vicksburg & River Engagements
Includes multiple 1862–1863 maps of Vicksburg approaches, naval combats on the Mississippi & Yazoo Rivers.
National Archives- Guide to Civil War Maps
Catalog of ~8,000 Civil War maps (many Mississippi/Louisiana/Navy charts included).
Chronicling America (Library of Congress) Free searchable Confederate & Union newspapers from the Civil War era. (Primary reporting of river battles & sieges).
University of Mississippi Civil War Manuscript Collections
Letters, diaries, and military orders related to campaigns, including Vicksburg.
National Archives Cartographic Records
Over 8,000 Civil War maps, charts, and plans covering battles, fortifications, troop movements, engineering plans, and river operations.
US Center of Military History- Civil War along the Lower Mississippi
Primary documents on Western & lower Mississippi operations.
The War of the Rebellion: Official Records 2,240 Civil War maps and charts and 76 atlases and sketchbooks that are held within the Geography and Map Division, 200 maps from the Library of Virginia, and 400 maps from the Virginia Historical Society.
Lloyds Map of the Lower Mississippi 1862
Detailed Mississippi River features from St. Louis to the Gulf, plantations, railroads, fortifications, etc.
Map of operations and Union approaches on May 27, 1863, against the Confederate stronghold.
This site contains 178 plates with maps of engagements across the war, including Vicksburg and Mississippi campaigns.
Towboat Videos
Click on underlined to open the link
VIDEO- Towboat Downbound Hastings Bridges- a great example of how a towboat steers from the rear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT73SIMvC6M
VIDEO- Boat Threading a Needle- great example of how a towboat steers from the rear https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k2v-rfe2pM
VIDEO- Towboat crashes Eads Bridge, destroying pilothouse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWo1x7r2_lA
VIDEO- Tow crashes Vicksburg RR bridge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6kZ2Asr_fM
VIDEO- Tight bridge N/B- great video showing navigating going upstream
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk3Vl8wjYYs
VIDEO- Towboat southbound Savannah, TN - video showing tow "sliding" with empties
and Captain steering and "holding a point."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrOSl2p3-mM
VIDEO- Browns Point and Vicksburg Bridge downbound with 40 loads -great video showing navigating going downstream and Captain steering and "holding a point"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_SDpFA3gwo
VIDEO- Downbound Louisville -video showing navigating going downstream through bridges
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDa6QAdDO4c
VIDEO- Flanking Vicksburg Bridge in High Water - video showing navigating going downstream in flood conditions and Captain reverses engines to perform "flanking" maneuver
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lsBEuRnyY6o
VIDEO- View from the Pilothouse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6zlswDF2Sg
Excellent collection of information
about river commerce
fhttps://www.americanwaterways.com/media/fact-sheets/facts-industry
Self-Publishing Resources
Self-Publishing Resources
Book I highly recommend
https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Authorpreneur-Navigating-21st-Century-Publishing/dp/1453782907
Editor I highly recommend
https://www.freerangeeditorial.com/
LINK to YouTube Video of LULU Formatting Template
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8oS-zkkQBY
LINK to KDP PPT tutorial on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ8_YeS88-s
LINK to YouTube video called PUBLISHING ON CREATESPACE
Each time she says CreateSpace, same for Kindle Direct Publishing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkFWnluIx0Q&t=10
Purchase Tom's Towboat Series Books at These Locations
UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER
GREAT RIVER ROAD VISITOR AND LEARNING CENTER Click here to visit their website
Don't miss this jewel, welcoming 15,000 visitors annually overlooking the confluence of the beautiful St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers. 200 Monroe Street, in Prescott, WI
PRESOTT AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY Click here
A marvelllouss collection of information and artifacts. A do-not-miss stop along the Great River Road. 235 Broad St, Prescott, WI
RED WING MARINE MUSEUM Click here
An incredible museum located on the riverfront on the Mississippi 935 Levee Rd., Red Wing, MN.
WINONA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Click here
Early cultures, and events telling about this amazing region. 160 Johnson Street, Winona, MN.
NATIONAL EAGLE CENTER Click here
Located directly on the bank of the Mississippi River historic downtown Wabasha, MN.
NATIONAL MISSISSIPPI RIVER MUSEUM AND AQUARIUM Click here
Connected with the Mississippi River Park and Trail in historic downtown Dubuque, IA.
CELEBRATION RIVER CRUISES Click here
Daily river cruises aboard the Celebration Belle at 2501 River Drive, Moline, IL.
MUSCATINE HISTORY & INDUSTRY CENTER Click here
Learn how Muscatine, Iowa became pearl button capital of the world. 117 West 2nd Street
BURLINGTON BY THE BOOK Click here
A great bookstore in downtown historic Burlington at 301 Jefferson, Burlington, IA.
MARK TWAIN BOOK & GIFT SHOP Click here
A fabulous gift and book store! 312 North Main Street, Hannibal, MO.
MISSISSIPPI MUD POTTERY Click here
Overlooking the "Mighty Miss" in historic downtown shopping area- 310 E Broadway, Alton, IL.
NATIONAL GREAT RIVERS MUSEUM Click here
See tows up close. Marvelous displays and exhibits at one of America's busiest inland locks.
Melvin Price Locks and Dam, #1 Lock and Dam Way, East Alton, Il.
LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER
A. SCHWAB MERCANTILE Click here to visit their website
Incredible gifts - awesome museum -"home of the blues" -163 Beale Street Memphis, TN.
SILVER STREET GALLERY AND GIFTS Click here
Lovely! Located in the Historic Natchez Under The Hill District 27A Silver St., Natchez, MS.
CRESENT CITY BOOKS Click here
Awesome "indy" bookstore- Maps! 240 Chartre St., New Orleans, LA.
ILLINOIS RIVER VALLEY
CLARK'S RUN ANTIQUES 215 Division St., Click here
CLARKS RUN CREEK GIFTS AND WINE 143 Mill Street North Utica, IL.
Two DO NOT MISS stops along the Illinois River -gifts, bourbon, wine, over 70 antique vendors!
SMOKEY ROW ANTIQUE SHOP Click here
Marvelous! In historic Upper Illinois River town of Lemont, Illinois. 112 Stephen Street.
OHIO, TENNESSEE, and CUMBERLAND RIVER AREAS
FRAZIER KENTUCKY HISTORY MUSEUM Click here
located in Historic Downtown Louisville, Kentucky. On the Ohio River
immediately across the street from the Louisville Slugger Bat Museum
CAMPUS AMERITUS HISTORY MUSEUM Click here
Wonderful collection of Ohio River Valley historic artifacts 601 2nd Street, Marietta, OH
RIVER DISCOVERY CENTER Click here
A fun, welcoming educational environment showcasing how our rivers impact our daily lives. At the levee adjacent to Ohio and Tennessee Rivers -117 So Water St., Paducah, KY
ARIZONA
EXPRESSIONS GALLERY PEBBLE CREEK CREATIVE ARTS CENTER GIFT SHOP Click here
Excellent selection of art, gifts and books offered by wonderful residents of Pebble Creek. 16280 W Clubhouse Drive, Goodyear, AZ
Photo Gallery
Lectures
I offer professional-quality lectures for any audience.
Please contact me at any time @ 623.249.9722
Editing and Proofreading
I am happy to provide feedback about your writing and can help direct you to resources that can jump-start your journey to begin writing and/or self publishing. Feel free to contact me.