Spirit of Sacramento (boat)

The Spirit of Sacramento, also known as the Grand Romance,[1] formerly known as the Putah, the Mansion Belle, the Chicu San[2] and unofficially known as the Old Spirit of Sacramento, is a snagboat famous for its appearance in the 1955 film Blood Alley starring John Wayne. After a devastating fire in 1996, the boat fell into disrepair and now sits beached on the banks of the Sacramento River.

Service as the Putah, Chicu San and Mansion Belle

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Built for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1942 by the Berkeley Steel Construction Company and commissioned as the Putah,[1] the vessel served as a snagboat, clearing rivers from obstruction. It was in this capacity the Putah served until it was purchased by John Wayne in 1954 to serve as the Chicu San in the then-upcoming film Blood Alley,[3] as based on the novel by Sidney Fleischman.[4]

After the film released in 1955, the Putah was sold to Sacramento businessman Frank Parisi, who renamed the Putah to the Mansion Belle and operated it as a pleasure boat for river cruises within the Sacramento Delta.[5][1] In 1957, the Mansion Belle collided with a cottage and significantly damaged its propeller blades, losing 10 before being repaired.[3] In 1964, the Mansion Belle relocated to Marina Del Rey, where it was sold to Bob Morris, who operated the ship as a party boat for hire.[6]

Service as the Spirit of Sacramento and eventual abandonment

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Very little is known about the whereabouts of the Mansion Belle during the 1970s and 1980s.[3][6] In 1991, the Mansion Belle was purchased by Channel Star Excursions, who renamed it to the Spirit of Sacramento and used it for their successful dinner cruise service.[3][1][2] After five years of operation, on February 3, 1996, an onboard fire destroyed the Spirit of Sacramento down to the waterline.[3][1][2]

After the fire, the Spirit of Sacramento was purchased by William Barker, who sought to rebuild the ship and utilize it for a dinner cruise service.[3][1] After consistent issues with vandalism and theft, the Spirit of Sacramento was abandoned in its dock.[1][3] In 2006, members of the Sacramento Yacht Club expressed concern that the Spirit of Sacramento was in danger of breaking its mooring and floating downriver, potentially destroying or damaging other vessels.[7]

In 2007, despite efforts by Barker to restore the Spirit,[8] an investigation by the State of California found that the ship was partially submerged and no longer in seaworthy condition.[9] After a lack of response from Barker, a lawsuit to remove the Spirit of Sacramento was filed.[9] In 2008, Barker moved the Spirit of Sacramento to its final dock at Rio Ramaza Marina.[1] In 2012, the California State Lands Commission's Abandoned Vessels Program removed the Spirit of Sacramento from the Sacramento River and placed it on the riverbank.[2][1][3]

As of 2024, the Spirit of Sacramento has not been moved from the banks of the Sacramento River and is prominently visible from the Garden Highway.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Stone, Melody. "A Riverboat That's Not Afloat: The Old Spirit Of Sacramento". www.capradio.org. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  2. ^ a b c d "Abandoned Vessels on State Waterways | CA State Lands Commission". Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "John Wayne, pleasure cruises and fire: the story of the Spirit of Sacramento". FOX40. 2022-09-07. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  4. ^ "Blood Alley by". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  5. ^ "2007/053/010 - CITY, History & Science Division | Center for Sacramento History". sacramento.pastperfectonline.com. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  6. ^ a b Rick (2022-11-19). "The Spirit of Sacramento: an abandoned riverboat with a fascinating tale". CalEXPLORnia. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  7. ^ "Lodi News-Sentinel - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  8. ^ "Damaged Paddleboat Rescued From River", KCRA-3 News, retrieved 2023-10-08
  9. ^ a b "CALENDAR ITEM" (PDF). State of California. 2008-03-25.