Louisiana Landmark Up for Sale – You Can Own a Piece of History

(KMDL-FM) Over this long holiday weekend, there will be garage sales, flea markets, farmer's markets, and of course retail stores offering sales at various locations throughout Louisiana. You can buy fresh produce in New Iberia, farm-to-table foods in Lafayette, and a wide assortment of items ranging from handicrafts to car parts in Carencro.

In Louisiana, we love to buy things. Of course, when you love to buy things, that probably also means you like to sell things too. You might recall that one of the more unique items that was up for sale recently in Louisiana was a castle on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain.   

Get our free mobile app

READ MORE: Want To Get Married in a Castle? You Can in Louisiana

READ MORE: New Orleans Saints Pro Bowl Player Selling Mansion

I do believe we have found another item that a fan of Louisiana lore and history would just love having in their homes. Okay, probably not "in" their homes, but near their homes, because the landmark item that is officially up for sale probably won't fit in your garage. Heck, it might not fit on your lot.

Historic Louisiana Steamboat for Sale - Make an Offer

The item in question is a 1920s-era steamboat. Perhaps you've heard of the Delta Queen. That steamboat, a National Historic Landmark, is for sale.

The Delta Queen Steamboat Co. made the announcement you see above on their Facebook page, and it is, in one way, very intriguing and in another way very sad.

For me, the sad part is that this vessel is a huge part of what made Louisiana and the Gulf South what they are. Maybe I'm just a hopeless romantic, lover of Mark Twain, and born-in-a-previous-life riverboat captain, but this ship, this part of our story, needs to be saved.

The intriguing part of the conundrum is the same as living in the city and buying a horse, where are you going to keep it? And who is going to look after it? And who is going to pay for the upkeep once it's here?

Where Is The Delta Queen Currently Located?

The Delta Queen, a twin ship to the Delta King, has been docked in Houma, Louisiana, since 2015 after it was saved from the scrap yard in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The current owners of the vessel have been working since then to obtain funding from the federal government to revive and restore the vessel, but that has not come to fruition.

The ship also sustained damage in 2021 when Category 4 Hurricane Ida roared through southeastern Louisiana, damaging the vessel's roof, windows, and several doors. So there is a lot of work to be done.

The social media post announcing the sale did not mention a price. And according to reports, the ship's owners are giving priority consideration to purchasers who have plans that do not include dismantling the ship.  If you'd like to make an offer or find out more about the buying process, you can visit here.