There was a time when the river ran uninterrupted, when steamboats hauled passengers and freight on a highway of water from city to city, when pilots memorized every town, every bend, every wing dam, every rapids, every characteristic of the river's channel. The glory was the river, but the grandeur was the river steamer, a majestic creation gliding on the water, its smoke billowing into the sky, its paddlewheel slapping against the current, its whistle echoing along the banks, heralding its arrival. It was a marine workhorse, a floating palace, gambling casino, restaurant, hotel, a work of art, named after owners, cities, directions, moods, birds, or businesses. Powered by huge steam engines and fueled by wood or coal, the river steamer powered the development of America. The study and cataloging of river steamers can be very alluring. And so it was for Glenn C. Meister, whose years of work at photographing, printing, and researching riverboats is preserved here.