Ohio Valley River Museum

at Hannibal Locks and Dam, Hannibal, Ohio

After ten years in Clarington, Ohio the board of the Ohio Valley River Museum is pleased to announce plans for future developments at Hannibal Locks and Dam after moving from its current location on September 1.

The river museum first opened its doors in 2010 inside the Ohio Valley Community Federal Credit Union’s former Clarington branch, which was leased to the organization for $1 per year with all utilities paid by the credit union.

In 2016, the museum entered into a first-of-its-kind partnership with the Pittsburgh District Army Corps of Engineers to reopen the visitor’s center at the Hannibal Locks and Dam, which has since been visited by more than 15,000 people from all over the United States and around the world.

The museum was formally named an adjunct organization of the Sons and Daughter of Pioneer Rivermen in 2019, which owns part of the museum’s current collection and has been instrumental in its development. Later that year, the museum was donated the historic J.A. CRESAP sternwheeler that was built in Clarington at Mozena Bros. Boatyard in 1923. It is the last surviving wooden-hulled sternwheel vessel of its kind in the United States. The vessel was transported by super load 750 miles from Guttenberg, Iowa to the Hannibal Industrial Park in Hannibal, Ohio last November.

Plans are underway by the museum and Pittsburgh District Corps of Engineers to restore the historic vessel to its original 1923 appearance and permanently display it at Hannibal Locks and Dam in a new visitor’s center facility.

“This is an exciting time for our museum as we look to the future. We are preparing for a new chapter at Hannibal Locks and Dam and are so very grateful for the support the Ohio Valley Community Federal Credit Union and the public has provided to us over the past decade. We are now set to begin the CRESAP’s restoration and look at options for building a new visitor’s center on site that will house the boat and our museum’s collection. Our goal is to have the boat restored and new facility in place by the time of the CRESAP’s 100th anniversary in 2023,” said museum president Taylor Abbott.

During this period of transition, the museum will continue to operate the historical exhibits and visitor’s center at Hannibal Locks and Dam while its museum collection will be temporarily stored until the new facility is constructed. Tax deductible donations can be made to the organization through the Marietta Community Foundation in c/o of the Ohio Valley River Museum at P.O. Box 77, Marietta, OH 45750.

View Full Press Release

Filed in: News

A vessel that has been away for nearly a century made its long-awaited return to the Ohio Valley this week.

The J.A. Cresap returned to Monroe County from Guttenberg, Iowa, after 96 years on Tuesday. The vessel was donated to the Ohio Valley River Museum, which will perform restoration work on it. The historic boat was built by the Mozena Bros. Boatyard in Clarington in 1923.

Read the full article at timesleaderonline.com.

Filed in: News

Grand National Hydroplanes (GNH) will participate in the 2016 Regattafest, September 24-25, 2016. In a recently completed agreement between RegattaFest Race Committee representatives and officials of the American Power Boat Association, these large twenty-foot boats will be racing both Saturday and Sunday (24-25) vying for purse and trophies.

Powered by up to 511 cubic inch automotive engines packing 750+ horsepower, these boats can reach 150 mph and throw a 70 foot roostertail. Race fans in Upper Ohio Valley area remember these boats as 7 Litre hydroplanes; the racecraft were the feature event during past Inboard regattas. New Martinsville’s stretch of the Ohio River claims the existing straightaway record for the class at 151.271 mph set by Buddy Byers of Columbus, Ohio.

The September 23-25, 2016 edition of RegattaFest will include powerboat races, powerboat record runs, live entertainment, activities just for kids, concessions and much more.

For more information contact: Sam Winer, Promotions Chair
Filed in: News

DSCN0177

From wtov9.com:

A first-of-its-kind signing held at the Hannibal Locks and Dam cements a partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District and 13 local riverfront communities.

Pen to paper inked the deal to preserve history in Monroe County after more than a dozen communities came together, wrote a proposal and applied for a $25,000 grant from the corps headquarters.

Read More…


From timesleaderonline.com:

More than a dozen Monroe County community and government organizations have come together with the Army Corps of Engineers in the spirit of volunteerism to revitalize and beautify the Public Visitor’s Center at the Hannibal Lock and Dam.

Read More…

Filed in: News

detlaqueen2016

The 2016 Delta Queen Dinner will be held aboard the VALLEY GEM sternwheeler, boarding in Marietta Ohio, on June 25th from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.

Tickets are available for $40 per person, and include a 2-hour dinner cruise on the Ohio River, pre-cruise social hour and tour at the Ohio River Museum and the W.P. Snyder, Jr steam towboat beginning at 2:30 PM.

For tickets, contact Museum Director Barbara Rush at 740-391-2786.

Filed in: News

The Gale V, one of the most prominent Unlimited Hydroplanes from the fifties will make a return to New Martinsville during the NEW MARTINSVILLE RECORDS & REGATTA CHALLENGE on September 24 & 25, 2016.

This boat, meticulously recreated by Bill Black, won the Imperial Gold Cup in New Martinsville in 1954 with Lee Schoenith at the wheel barely nosing out the Gale IV driven by “Wild Bill” Cantrell. Others in that race included the My Sweetie, My Sweetie Dora, Wha Happen II and Miss Cadilac.

This should be quite an occasion as the sound of an Allison engine has not been heard on the Ohio River here for 54 years. Please spread this information to all your Regatta and River loving friends.

Check out NEW MARTINSVILLE RECORDS CHALLENGE & REGATTA on Facebook!

Filed in: News
Hours

Hannibal Locks and Dam Visitor’s Center
Free to the Public

Open daily from 8 a.m. to dusk April through November.

Visit our historical exhibits, tour the grounds, and enjoy the lock chamber observation deck.

Special Thanks

Special Thanks to the Ohio Valley Community Credit Union for their continued support & generosity!

Special Thanks

Our special thanks to David Reid, managing director, for his generosity and support!