Member Spotlight September/October 2004:
Willamette Queen Sternwheeler

100 or so years ago, if you wanted to travel from one end of the Willamette Valley to the other, you very likely would have cruised the Willamette River on a Sternwheeler paddle boat. Visitors to Salem in this century have the chance to relive those days onboard the Willamette Queen Sternwheeler, an 87 foot, 86 ton twin paddle-wheel vessel docked year round in downtown Salem.

In addition to providing a taste of Salem history, the Willamette Queen Sternwheeler offers many opportunities for recreation and relaxation. Lunch and dinner cruises present generous meals served by friendly Sternwheeler staff, and a Sunday brunch cruise is a great way to celebrate a special occasion. The Willamette Queen is certainly becoming known as location for events, and is the site of many birthday parties, receptions, field trips, dance parties, company parties and weddings. In fact, Captain Richard Chesbrough is an ordained minister and regularly performs weddings on board.

Once out on the river, guests on board the Willamette Queen can't help but relax. There's something about being in the middle of the city, but at the same time a world away, that instantly makes cruisers feel at home. The staff on board the Willamette Queen also take a home-style approach to their duties, and visitors commonly feel like part of the family while on board. In fact, it isn't uncommon for Captain Richard's daughter to work as bartender, his granddaughters may be on board to welcome guests, a son-in-law may be the pilot, while mother-in-law Irene most likely booked your reservation on the phone. The family obviously takes pride in their work and enjoy sharing their passion for the Sternwheeler and for the river with guests.

The Willamette Queen has been a member of SCVA since 1998, when the boat first arrived in Salem. Over their six years of membership, Captain Richard and crew have worked hard to take advantage of all their SCVA benefits, and have been adept at finding creative ways to promote their business through the Association. Brochure display in the visitors center, advertising in the Salem Area Visitors Guide, and sponsorship of the weekly email are a few ways they participate in regular SCVA programs. In addition, the Captain has created custom post cards, which are offered for sale in the visitors center as well as on board the boat.

What's more, Captain Richard sees value in co-operative promotions with fellow Association members, and deserves recognition for his involvement and support of SCVA member events and occasions. He has also partnered with SCVA member CWERKS, Inc. to hold murder mystery themed dinners on board.

The Willamette Queen itself is more than a "show boat" however. She was built in 1990 in Newport, Oregon as a scaled down likeness of the former Mississippi and Yukon Territory Riverboats with paddles that actually propel the boat. She features a full service bar and a solid oak dance floor which is located on the upper deck in the main dining room.

For more information about the Willamette Queen Sternwheeler, please call 503.371.1103 or visit www.WillametteQueen.com.