Barge in the Meramec

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This was taken through the chain link fence which is on an old concrete platform used by the gravel pit in Sherman. I grew up around Sherman & my wife lived there. This is an old gravel pit barge.
 

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The Meramec River, like most rivers once used for commerce, have a lot of "skeletons" buried in the banks and sunken in the river bed itself. Up river from Pacific MO, you can see old 50s era cars used by the Corps of Engineers to shore up the river bank. It seemed like a good idea at the time. If you go to see it, beware of the metal frames in the river bed as they can skewer a canoe or raft easily.
 
[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=276465#p276465 said:
archinstl » 26 Jul 2012, 21:14[/url]"]
bulldog said:
There is a steel barge on the Meramec about 50 yards upstream from the East bound lanes of HWY 44 on the East side of the river. Looks like the perfect noodling spot if it were legal. You can see it from the highway if the water is at normal pool up to maybe +3 feet.
This is actually the remains of the sternwheel steamer Betsy Ann, a very famous boat.
She was converted into a dock before WWII by the Meramec Power Boat Club. Her pilot wheel is in the Steamboat Museum at Bee Tree park.
More information is a bit down this page: https://www.cincinnativiews.net/steam_boats_2.htm
I was just down at Possum Woods Park, which is directly across from the derelict; quite a bit is visible, due to the low water. Access can also be gotten by descending the steep bank at the intersection of Soccer Park Road and Yarnell Road, on the West side of the river.

Nice! I always wondered what this skeleton was at one time. Steamer is cool, but I always imagined it as a Civil War relic. Still exciting to see, and I can always continue to dream that there were cannons mounted on it at one time. :lol:
 

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