U.S.S. Inaugural

[archinstl]

With the river this low (12 feet below the usual for July), I wonder how much of the Inaugural is now exposed?
Anyone near there with a camera?
Ditto with the old barge/riverboat on the Meramec just a few feet North of the first Westbound I-44 bridge, grounded on the West bank. It's been there since at least WWII - and I think long before that.
I'm out of town for a week or else I'd be there.

[t7]

Someone drop me the coordinates for those two and I'll see if I have time to check them out in a few days. I know approximately where they are but I don't have time to look at Google Maps right now.

[SubLunar]

Inaugural: Rutger and S. Wharf Streets.

What's the easiest way to get GPS coords? Is it possible from google/bing maps?

[t7]

On Google Maps, right click and select "What's Here?" I've never figured it out on Bing.

[SubLunar]

I'll be damned. thanks.

Inaugural: 38.611485,-90.188104

[archinstl]

The Meramec barge/boat on Google Maps: 38.545071,-90.434644 and then zoom in to the max. It will be pretty obvious on the left side. It can also be barely seen ewith Google Streetview on the Westbound I44 bridge.
Nothing is visible on Bing.
It is right across the river from the Possum Woods Conservation area, accessible via the same road that takes you to Powder Valley Nature center - save you continue on across I270, turn left and follow that road to its terminus.
Possum Woods is cool - and it has restrooms!
Another way to view it is to follow Soccer Park Road (see the map) and make your way along the riverbank - kinda treacherous, though - and a few years ago when I tried it, I got mega poison ivy.

[crazydrummerdude]

The Meramec barge/boat on Google Maps: 38.545071,-90.434644 and then zoom in to the max. It will be pretty obvious on the left side. It can also be barely seen ewith Google Streetview on the Westbound I44 bridge.
Nothing is visible on Bing.
It is right across the river from the Possum Woods Conservation area, accessible via the same road that takes you to Powder Valley Nature center - save you continue on across I270, turn left and follow that road to its terminus.
Possum Woods is cool - and it has restrooms!
Another way to view it is to follow Soccer Park Road (see the map) and make your way along the riverbank - kinda treacherous, though - and a few years ago when I tried it, I got mega poison ivy.

While interesting, what does that have to do with the Inaugural?

[archinstl]

Actually, it has nothing to do with the Inaugural.
I mentioned the Meramec derelict in the first post in this thread, and member t7 asked for coordinates for both.
I visited the Inaugural in 1968 when it first was moored in STL; pretty fascinating - when it was picked up in the Gulf, it still had fuel and ammo on board as well as food remnants - all from 1946 when it was decommissioned!
There were also papers on the bulletin boards from the actual war era - and I found the name of a fellow I worked with at American Can!

As far as the Meramec derelict goes - I've been fascinated with it since I was a kid. There is a chance that it is actually what was left of the sternwheeler Betsy Ann, whose iron hull (only) at the end of its working life was moved to the Meramec and used as a floating dock by the long-defunct Meramec River Powerboat Club.

[crazydrummerdude]

I mentioned the Meramec derelict in the first post in this thread

Ah, somehow I completely missed that. Thanks for the info.

[Nicotti]

Sadly the river will have to go down a lot more for the rear end of the ship to see the light of day, but I'm hoping to be able to walk out to it some time this year.

[woodb]

Possum Woods is the same as Emmeneger (sp?) Park, no? That park, if I recall correctly, was owned by the Lemp family at one time. There are foundations in the woods that I believe used to be one of the old guest houses. The stone foundation/floor/chimney remain on the side of this cliff/hill that wouldn't be fun to fall down. Found it seeking a geocache that is located in these woods (geocaching.com will lead you to it if you are interested).

There was signs of a small shelter last time I was there (2 years ago). Someone had made a little roof out of netting/leaves/sticks and obviously signs of a campfire in the middle of the foundation.

Pretty neat place to hike taboot.

[archinstl]

Actually, Possum Woods is a state affair, but managed/cared for by Kirkwood. Emmenegger Park

[archinstl]

Actually, Possum Woods is a state affair, but managed/cared for by Kirkwood. It and Emmenegger are adjacent. Emmenegger Park is owned by the City of Kirkwood; half was donated to it by Russell Emmenegger, a developer, and the other half from a grant by the Federal Burea of the Interior. I don't think it was owned by the Lemps at any time.
Part of it was owned by the STL Zoo long ago and another part was a resort back in the early part of the last Century.

[the_p0ssum]

There is a chance that it is actually what was left of the sternwheeler Betsy Ann, whose iron hull (only) at the end of its working life was moved to the Meramec and used as a floating dock by the long-defunct Meramec River Powerboat Club.

I'd say you're correct that it's the Betsy Ann. This Link has pics of it beached in 1952-53 in about the exact same spot, with the Hwy bridge in the background.

[archinstl]

Thanks - I actually found that link and the pix a couple of years ago. I contacted both the Fenton and Valley Park historical societies and neither knew anything about it; this seems odd, as the derelict has been there for many years. I recall seeing it as a boy in the '40s, but neither my parents nor anyone else I've ever talked to has known anything about it.
I hope to make it to the Meramec in a couple of days; I note the river level is now reaching toward a historic low reading.