AMERICA'S JUNCTION

St. Louis to Cincinnati - June 10-17, 2008 • 8 Days • 691 River Miles
Upper Mississippi and Ohio Rivers

Picture yourself floating along the same route as the early keelboat and steamboat operators who traveled the Ohio River in the 1700s and 1800s. Imagine viewing the banks of the Ohio River, where for many hundreds of years before Europeans came this way, the Miami and Shawnee Indians lived an idyllic existence. In this region we call America's Junction, you'll see the Confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers whose navigable waters stretch almost a thousand miles in three different directions.

BOARDING LANDING
This 8 day America’s Junction excursion begins with an overnight stay in St. Louis, Mo. In 1764, French fur traders founded the city. In 1803, Napoleon sold the Louisiana Territory to President Thomas Jefferson as part of the Louisiana Purchase. St. Louis then became known as “the Gateway to the West” because of the westward movement the of Americans through the city. In 1904, St. Louis held the World’s Fair in recognition of the 100 Anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It is there that iced tea and the ice cream cone were first introduced. We dock close to Laclede’s Landing, site of the original settlement that French fur trader Pierre Laclede named in honor of Louis IX. It became a center of commerce and today is an entertainment and shopping district.

The gleaming Gateway Arch, completed in 1965, towers over the Upper Mississippi River as a symbol of America’s opening of the west to commerce and settlement. The Museum of Westward Expansion (located below the arch) preserves some of the rarest artifacts from the days of Lewis and Clark. Through the exciting exhibits, explore the world of the American Indians and the 19th century pioneers who helped shape the history of the American West. You will receive passes to the Gateway Arch and the Museum of Westward Expansion. Take our complimentary shuttle with stops including the Jefferson Memorial, the Old Cathedral and the Gateway Arch.

BARGING
This route offers the opportunity to see the Upper Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The Upper Mississippi’s depth is
controlled by a series of locks and dams as it flows through scenic lakes, bluffs, marsh and islands southward. It is relatively shallow and much narrower than the lower river. At the Mississippi and Ohio rivers’ junction, we introduce you to a sight that is truly a marvel to behold: the Confluence! More than just an intersection, it is the foundation of many stories that shaped our country.

Today the confluence is a major junction for barge shipping. You may see hundreds of barges waiting in fleeting areas anticipating towboats to add them to their tows—yet another fascinating river story on how bulk products are moved to their final destination. Formed by the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers at Pittsburgh, the Ohio River is the most important river in the eastern United States. It flows westward from Pennsylvania for 981 miles, forming the boundaries of five states along its course. The Ohio River contributes more water to the Mississippi than any other tributary. We’ll pass through Smithland, Myers, Newburgh, Cannelton, McAlpine and Markland Locks. The historic locks make this a prime river vacation.

HOST LANDINGS ALONG THE WAY
Everyone loves our visit in Paducah, Ky., “America’s River Town.” Located at the junction of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers, it was originally part of a land grant to General Clark, but when he died, the title of the land passed to his brother William, co-leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. He named the town in honor of the Padouca Indian tribe. Clark changed the spelling of the town to Americanize it and it became Paducah. The Robert Dafford murals on the floodwall are some of the first things you’ll notice.

These paintings tell the story of Paducah’s colorful past. Visit the River Heritage Museum that is housed in the oldest standing structure downtown. Enjoy state-of-the-art interactive exhibits that tell the story of the four river regions. Or shop and explore in the William Clark Market House Museum with its old-fashioned
drugstore. Visit the Museum of the American Quilter’s Society. Learn about the art, history and heritage of quilt making. Our landing at Louisville, Ky., was once the major portage point where river vessels unloaded cargo and passengers before shooting the rapids at the Falls of the Ohio.

The fossils at the Falls of the Ohio provide proof that an ocean and coral reef existed more than 350 million years ago in what is now Clark County. Your excursion includes a pass to the Falls of the Ohio, the Louisville Slugger Bat Museum, and the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs. Aurora, Ind., is a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1769, Adam Flake was the first white man to settle at the mouth of South Hogan Creek. The town was a stop on the Underground Railroad that secretly aided runaway slaves and is situated on the right bank of the Ohio River, four miles below Lawrenceburg and 26 miles below Cincinnati. At this point, the river makes a
graceful curve or bend and has given Aurora one of the finest harbors on the river from Pittsburgh to its mouth. The townis partially built on and surrounded by towering hills with several historic homes including Hillforest, a National Historic Landmark and Verasteau Mansion.

DESTINATION LANDING
This excursion ends with an overnight stay in Cincinnati, Ohio, the “Queen City of the West.” The city got its nickname after a story in the Cincinnati Advertiser in 1819, and from a poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1854. Cincinnati is located amidst gently rolling hills along the Ohio River. Winston Churchill once called Cincinnati “the most beautiful inland city in America.” Cincinnati has grown from meager beginnings as a river trading post and the world’s largest pork packing center, “Porkopolis,” into a dynamic American city that is home to corporate giants like Procter and Gamble. Fountain Square is the heart of business and cultural activity in the city. Its centerpiece is the Tyler Davidson Fountain (1871), a very early example of public art. The sculpture acknowledges the aesthetic and utilitarian value of water. Don’t forget to try a bowl of world-renowned Cincinnati 5-way chili.

WHAT IS RIVERTIME?
A RiverBarge Excursion is a timeless vacation, filling your days and nights with unforgettable sights and sounds. Your watch will become less essential as time goes on. The river has its own sense of time. It doesn’t conform to our schedule; we conform to its. We arrive and depart as it permits. Set your watch aside. In other words, set it to“ RiverTime” and let the river make your vacation time well spent.

ST. LOUIS TO CINCINNATI DAY BY DAY ITINERARYUE TO VARYING RIVER AND WATERWAY CONDITIONS, SCHEDULES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Day 1 - Tues - 6/10 - Boarding in St Louis, Mo., begins at noon. Your stateroom is available at 3:00 p.m. Your excursion includes tickets to the Gateway Arch and the Museum of Westward Expansion. Take our complimentary shuttle from noon to 6:00 p.m. with stops including the Jefferson Memorial, the Old Cathedral and the Gateway Arch. On your own, enjoy exploring other sights in St. Louis, before our late evening departure to begin our barging adventure on the Upper Mississippi River

Day 2 - Wed - 6/11 - Enjoy an entire day of barging on the Upper Mississippi River. Grab your stateroom binoculars and spend some time on the Sky Deck to enjoy the ever-changing scenery. Witness the amazing Confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers in the late afternoon. We’ll begin our barging adventure on the Ohio River.

Day 3 - Thur - 6/12 - Early morning arrival in “America’s River Town,” Paducah, Ky. Explore the William Clark Market House Museum, the downtown River Heritage Museum and the Museum of the American Quilter’s Society. You’ll never look at quilts the same way again. We’ll depart in the late evening.

Day 4 - Fr i- 6/13 - Enjoy an entire day of barging on the Ohio River with an early morning passage through Smithland Lock. We’ll also enjoy a morning passage through Myers Lock and an evening passage through Newburgh Lock.

Day 5 - Sat - 6/14 - We’ll continue our barging adventure with an early morning passage through Cannelton Lock and an early evening passage through McAlpine Lock. Early this evening, we will arrive in Louisville, Ky., where we will have an overnight stay. Enjoy the evening on your own.

Day 6 - Sun - 6/15 - In Louisville, enjoy visits to the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs, the Falls of the Ohio, and the Louisville Slugger Bat Musem. We’ll have an early evening departure from Louisville to continue barging on the Ohio River.

Day 7 - Mon - 616 - An early morning passage through Markland Lock before our early morning arrival in Aurora, Ind. Enjoy shopping, a visit to Hillforest, a National Historic Landmark, Verasteau Mansion and a city tour. A midday departure from Aurora will take us on our last leg of Ohio River barging. Enjoy a late afternoon arrival in the 6 bustling “Queen City of the West,” Cincinnati, Ohio, where we’ll have an overnight stay. Take our
complimentary shuttle from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. to Fountain Square. Try a bowl of world-renowned Cincinnati
5-way chili.

Day 8 - Tues - 6/17- Enjoy a hearty breakfast before your morning disembarkation that includes a narrated limited city tour of Cincinnati on the way to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport for those guests with flights 1:00 p.m. or later.