Tall Stacks entices visitors, volunteers

BY LEW MOORES
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Tall Stacks volunteers James and Suzanne O'Brien of Delhi stroll around in 1800s-style dress. (Michael E. Keating photo)

By midmorning, Phyllis Jackson sat on a wall by the Public Landing and just relaxed under gray skies and against a stiff breeze that blew in off the river.

She had already toured eight steamboats, collecting the signatures of the captains on her tour passport. She had gone from one boat to the next as they were docked along the riverfront, and vowed to return today to tour the rest.

"I've got all week to do that," said Ms. Jackson, who is 72.

She was one of thousands who turned up for the first day of the five-day Tall Stacks '99, a celebration of river life and culture on both sides of the Ohio that will feature 19 riverboats.

Many people came in for the day to Tall Stacks, some catching shuttles from the Eastgate and Evendale areas. But Ms. Jackson drove Tuesday from Lebanon, Ind., about 20 miles northwest of Indianapolis, took a room at a motel in Florence, and then drove to Covington, parked and walked across the Suspension Bridge.

She came with a tour group and her sister back in 1992, then returned in 1995. This time she came alone.

"You go at your own speed, do what you want and hope it doesn't rain," said Ms. Jackson, who plans on a cruise aboard the Creole Queen today. "To get all these boats in one spot is neat. I just like paddle boats."

People began arriving at the riverfront early Wednesday, lining up to tour the boats, wandering along Yeatman's Cove and the Serpentine Wall where the aroma of frying onions and sausage, chicken and wood-oven pizza wafted along the walkways, and the sounds of steam whistles collided as boats left for morning harbor cruises.

Boats docked along the Serpentine Wall. (Steven M. Herppich photo)

Rain late in the afternoon doused some of the crowd, but the drops didn't last long enough to kill any cruise plans, organizers said. On the Covington side, workers quickly repaired blown-down signs and booths.

"We didn't take as bad of a hit as we thought we would," said Chod Hobbs, Covington recreation director.

Throughout the day, people queued up to board the boats for cruises. In the evening, moonlight and dinner cruises aboard some of the riverboats were planned.

Tall Stacks '99 organizers expect between 900,000 and 1 million people to attend the event over the five days and spend about $40 million.

Wednesday, volunteers dressed in period costumes attracted crowds. There were plenty of requests to stop for a photograph.

A small stack: Owner Jim Hendrix docks the African Queen from the movie of the same name near the Showboat Majestic. (Michael E. Keating photo)

"People are very friendly, I can't get over how friendly," said Bill Scholz of Loveland. He was dressed in formal attire of the 1850s. "We're having a ball. We love people, and that's what attracted us."

"People are asking are we as old as these costumes," said his wife, Susan Scholz, laughing, as both were stopped and asked to pose for a group shot with visitors.

Carol Jackson, of Alexandria, and her daughter, Debbie Weyman of Taylor Mill, were dressed in more contemporary dresses, from the 1870s to 1900.

"The school kids stop us and ask all kind of questions," Ms. Jackson said.

"We're having a good time," Ms. Weyman said.

A few who attended Tall Stacks '99 just happened on it. Like Mike Weiner of Rochester, N.Y., who was in town on business. He knew nothing of Tall Stacks and ended up taking a cruise on the Island Queen.

"This is wonderful," he said. "Came to town for a business meeting and discovered this. This is spectacular."

Patsy Ratterman of Anderson Twp. snaps the sunrise over the riverboats. (Michael E. Keating photo)

Marian Nusekabel, who lives in Green Township, has attended all four Tall Stacks — 1988, '92, '95 and '99 — but is working this one as one of 7,000 volunteers.

"We're steamboatin' people," said Ms. Nusekabel, who has taken 14 trips and plans another this Friday aboard the Mississippi Queen for a cruise to Madison, Ind. "The first one was nothing like it is now. I enjoy this."

Bill Hagan came from Dayton, Ohio, as he did in 1992 and 1995, for Tall Stacks. He was here for just one day. He disembarked from the Colonel, a 157-foot stern-wheeler out of Galveston, Texas, after a morning cruise and bubbled with enthusiasm.

"It was a great cruise," he said of the hourlong trip downriver. "We got to see the work going on in the new stadium. They were very accommodating. They talked about the founding of Cincinnati, we passed the Licking River. Besides the good sightseeing, we got a good history lesson on Cincinnati. It was a little breezy out there, but it wasn't bad."

Joyce Hicks of Fairfield and her friend, Donna Zurweller of Bright, Ind., parked in Covington and walked across the Suspension Bridge. Both came with cameras to capture their Tall Stacks memories. Ms. Zurweller bought souvenirs. They were booked on a lunch cruise aboard the Majestic, a 265-foot side-wheeler out of Pittsburgh.

"We wouldn't miss it," Ms. Zurweller said. "I love riverboats."

"The river is such a neat place," Ms. Hicks said.

Matt Knecht of Colerain Township brought his daughter, Clare, 3, mother-in-law Grace Summer, and a friend, Frank Baker of Hanover, Ind., to wander along the riverfront.

"The main thing was to see how impressed my daughter would be," Mr. Knecht said. "But she was more into running around."

Cincinnati Police Lt. Ray Ruberg said by late afternoon the event had so far run smoothly.

"The crowd was a pretty good size," Lt. Ruberg said. "I walked around the whole event site. It looked real good. And given the traffic size, the flow was very smooth."