queen ii excursion boat about

Arnold Garson: Second Thoughts

How Okoboji Became A Resort Mecca

It might not have happened without the queen and other excursion boats that followed.

The last of the grand excursion boats on Iowa’s largest natural lake will be refurbished and updated this winter, thanks to a $1 million gift from an anonymous donor.

The boat, the Queen II, now nearing its 40 th year of service on West Okoboji Lake, is one of the last physical reminders at Okoboji of how the large glacial lakes of Northwest Iowa came to be a widely known tourist attraction.

The story begins in 1882 when the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway (BCR&N) opened the first rail line to the lakes area. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, generally known as simply the Milwaukee, opened a rail line to the lakes the following year.

The arrival of automobiles and air-conditioning would change everything, but those innovations still were a half-century away. For now, the companies’ grand vision was to attract thousands of vacationers every summer to the Lakes area, people seeking refuge from the summer heat in locations to the south. It was a plan that required more than rail lines and promotion. First, there had to be hotels. So the railroads built them. The Orleans Hotel, built by the BCR&N, opened in 1883 on the south shore of Spirit Lake, was described as the finest hotel in the region, sometimes as the finest hotel in the West. But the hotels were only one piece of the equation.

The other essential set piece of the plan was providing transportation from the rail depots to the hotels and around the lakes area. The most obvious method, horse and buggy, would be too slow and too problematic. They could transport only a few people at a time, and summer rains often made the mud pathways of the time impassable. But wait. This resort area is built along waterfronts. There is another way to provide transportation. What about boats?

The privately owned watercraft of the time — sailboats and rowboats — were too small and too slow. But there was one other possibility: 

Large, motorized excursion boats. They soon became a key factor in creating a regional lakes resort region in a remote location.

The excursion boats not only got people to and from the rail stations, they also provided local transportation within the lakes area. Vacationers summoned an excursion boat as needed. To go somewhere on one of the lakes, they went down to the end of the nearest dock with a towel or white flag and waved it at the first excursion boat that passed by. It would stop for boarding, then drop them off at their location of choice.

The boats also carried mail for delivery and hauled lumber to lakeshore construction sites.

The first railroad-owned excursion boat on the Iowa Great Lakes was the Alpha, launched by the BCR&N in 1882. During the decades that followed, at least eight more large excursion boats served the three clustered lakes of Dickinson County – West Okoboji, East Okoboji, and Spirit Lake.  

The Milwaukee responded quickly with its own, larger excursion boat in 1884, the Ben Lennox, named for one of the company’s executives. Not to be outdone, the BCR&N immediately commissioned the construction of a bigger, grander ship the same year: The Queen.

The Queen, based originally on Spirit Lake, was relocated to service on East Okoboji and West Okoboji in 1900. It was able to navigate between the two lakes via a pivot swing bridge where Highway 71 crosses the two lakes today.

It was not long before other excursion boats joined the Iowa Great Lakes fleet – the Okoboji, the Sioux City, the Des Moines, the Boji Belle, the Empress.

Then, in the 1920s, led by The Des Moines Register’s “Get Iowa Out of the Mud” campaign, paved roads quickly became a reality throughout the state. At about the same time, the first motorized runabouts began to arrive on the lakes; soon, virtually every lake cottage had a speed boat. After 40 years of providing the only local transportation for the lakes area, the era of the excursion boats ended almost as quickly as it had arrived.

It was not long before only the Queen and the Empress survived, operating as casual tour boats, not destination boats.

The Queen did find one new purpose. After World War II, it became the so-called flagship of the Iowa Navy, a fictional entity designed for promotional purposes. The Queen would stop at a private dock along West Lake, summon the owner, and hand him an admiral’s commission. The admirals of the Iowa Navy were assigned to “confound all harbingers of gloom, worry, energy and all enemies of carefree fun and relaxation.”

By 1973, the Queen had been working the Okoboji lakes for almost 90 years. It needed a major renovation or replacement. The boat was sold to Adventureland near Des Moines for $33,000 and transported there, where it spent some time providing rides around a small lake, then became a land-based tourist attraction. Finally, it was returned to the water for refurbishing – and sank. Its ultimate fate is not known, but it disappeared from Adventureland.  

The Empress remained as the last of the excursion boats on Okoboji until it relocated to the Lake of the Ozarks in 1984. Area residents scrambled for the next year or two to raise money to bring back the Queen, the most legendary of the excursion boat fleet. The Queen II, a diesel-powered replica of the original steam-powered Queen, arrived in 1986 and has been in service since then.  

                                                           *   *   *

My first ride on the Queen was in the mid-1940s. I was a child, and do not remember it. But a ride on the Queen was a must-do activity for my family every summer in those years when we went to Okoboji for one or two weeks’ vacation.

My wife’s family has roots at Okoboji going back to the late 1890s. Her grandparents, Clair and Adel Baird of Omaha, built Clairdell Cottage on Fairoaks Beach on West Lake in 1931. Our grandchildren now are the fifth generation to spend a part of their summers at Clairdell.

I have been researching and writing about Okoboji history for many years. I intend to write about Okoboji history in this column periodically. It will be one of several diverse and reappearing themes for Arnold Garson: Second Thoughts!

Stay tuned.

The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

Have you explored the variety of writers in the  Iowa Writer’s Collaborative ? They are from around the state and contribute commentary and feature stories of interest to those who care about Iowa. Please pick five you’d like to support by becoming paid. It helps keep them going. Enjoy:

Nicole Baart:  This Stays Here , Sioux Center

Laura belin:  iowa politics with laura belin , windsor heights, doug burns:  the iowa mercury , carroll, dave busiek:  dave busiek on media , des moines, iowa writers’ collaborative,  roundup, steph copley:  it was never a dress , johnston, art cullen:  art cullen’s notebook , storm lake, suzanna de baca:  dispatches from the heartland , huxley, debra engle:  a whole new world , madison county, arnold garson:  second thoughts , okoboji and sioux falls, julie gammack:  julie gammack’s iowa potluck , des moines and okoboji, joe geha:  fern and joe , ames, jody gifford:  benign inspiration , west des moines, rob gray:  rob gray’s area , ankeny, nik heftman:  the seven times , los angeles and iowa, beth hoffman:  in the dirt , lovilia, dana james:  new black iowa,  des moines, pat kinney:  view from cedar valley , waterloo, fern kupfer:  fern and joe , ames, robert leonard:  deep midwest: politics and culture , bussey, letters from iowans , iowa, darcy maulsby:  keepin’ it rural , calhoun county, tar macias:  hola iowa , iowa, alison mcgaughey,  the inquisitive quad citizen , quad cities, kurt meyer:  showing up , st. ansgar, wini moranville:  wini’s food stories , des moines, jeff morrison:  between two rivers , cedar rapids, kyle munson:  kyle munson’s main street , des moines, jane nguyen:  the asian iowan , west des moines, john naughton:  my life, in color , des moines, chuck offenburger:  iowa boy chuck offenburger , jefferson and des moines, barry piatt:  piatt on politics behind the curtain,  washington, d.c., dave price:  dave price’s perspective,  des moines, macey spensley:  the midwest creative,  norwalk, larry stone:  listening to the land,  elkader, mary swander:  mary swander’s buggy land , kalona, mary swander: mary swander’s  emerging voices , kalona, cheryl tevis:  unfinished business , boone county, ed tibbetts:  along the mississippi , davenport, teresa zilk:  talking good , des moines, the iowa writers collaborative is also proud to ally with  iowa capital dispatch ..

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How Okoboji became a resort mecca

It might not have happened without the queen and other excursion boats that followed.

Arnold Garson

November 13, 2023 9:00 am.

The Queen II excursion boat has been in service since 1986. (Photo courtesy of Arnold Garson)

The boat, the Queen II, now nearing its 40 th  year of service on West Okoboji Lake, is one of the last physical reminders at Okoboji of how the large glacial lakes of Northwest Iowa came to be a widely known tourist attraction.

The story begins in 1882 when the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway (BCR&N) opened the first rail line to the lakes area. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, generally known as simply the Milwaukee, opened a rail line to the lakes the following year.

The arrival of automobiles and air-conditioning would change everything, but those innovations still were a half-century away. For now, the companies’ grand vision was to attract thousands of vacationers every summer to the Lakes area, people seeking refuge from the summer heat in locations to the south. It was a plan that required more than rail lines and promotion.

First, there had to be hotels. So the railroads built them. The Orleans Hotel, built by the BCR&N, opened in 1883 on the south shore of Spirit Lake, was described as the finest hotel in the region, sometimes as the finest hotel in the West. But the hotels were only one piece of the equation.

The other essential set piece of the plan was providing transportation from the rail depots to the hotels and around the lakes area. The most obvious method, horse and buggy, would be too slow and too problematic. They could transport only a few people at a time, and summer rains often made the mud pathways of the time impassable. But wait. This resort area is built along waterfronts. There is another way to provide transportation. What about boats?

The privately owned watercraft of the time — sailboats and rowboats — were too small and too slow. But there was one other possibility:

Large, motorized excursion boats. They soon became a key factor in creating a regional lakes resort region in a remote location.

The excursion boats not only got people to and from the rail stations, they also provided local transportation within the lakes area. Vacationers summoned an excursion boat as needed. To go somewhere on one of the lakes, they went down to the end of the nearest dock with a towel or white flag and waved it at the first excursion boat that passed by. It would stop for boarding, then drop them off at their location of choice.

The boats also carried mail for delivery and hauled lumber to lakeshore construction sites.

The first excursion boat on the Iowa Great Lakes was the Alpha, launched by the BCR&N in 1882. During the decades that followed, at least eight more large excursion boats served the three clustered lakes of Dickinson County – West Okoboji, East Okoboji, and Spirit Lake.

The Milwaukee responded quickly with its own, larger excursion boat in 1884, the Ben Lennox, named for one of the company’s executives. Not to be outdone, the BCR&N immediately commissioned the construction of a bigger, grander ship the same year: The Queen.

The Queen, based originally on Spirit Lake, was relocated to service on East Okoboji and West Okoboji in 1900. It was able to navigate between the two lakes via a pivot swing bridge where Highway 71 crosses the two lakes today.

It was not long before other excursion boats joined the Iowa Great Lakes fleet – the Okoboji, the Sioux City, the Des Moines, the Boji Belle, the Empress.

Then, in the 1920s, led by The Des Moines Register’s “Get Iowa Out of the Mud” campaign, paved roads quickly became a reality throughout the state. About the same time, the first motorized runabouts began to arrive on the lakes; soon, virtually every lake cottage had a speed boat. After 40 years of providing the only local transportation for the lakes area, the era of the excursion boats ended almost as quickly as it had arrived.

It was not long before only the Queen and the Empress survived, operating as casual tour boats, not destination boats.

The Queen did find one new purpose. After World War II, it became the so-called flagship of the Iowa Navy, a fictional entity designed for promotional purposes. The Queen would stop at a private dock along West Lake, summon the owner, and hand him an admiral’s commission. The admirals of the Iowa Navy were assigned to “confound all harbingers of gloom, worry, energy and all enemies of carefree fun and relaxation.”

By 1973, the Queen had been working the Okoboji lakes for almost 90 years. It needed a major renovation or replacement. The boat was sold to Adventureland near Des Moines for $33,000 and transported there, where it spent some time providing rides around a small lake, then became a land-based tourist attraction. Finally, it was returned to the water for refurbishing – and sank. Its ultimate fate is not known, but it disappeared from Adventureland.

The Empress remained as the last of the excursion boats on Okoboji until it relocated to the Lake of the Ozarks in 1984. Area residents scrambled for the next year or two to raise money to bring back the Queen, the most legendary of the excursion boat fleet. The Queen II, a diesel-powered replica of the original steam-powered Queen, arrived in 1986 and has been in service since then.

My first ride on the Queen was in the mid-1940s. I was a child, and do not remember it. But a ride on the Queen was a must-do activity for my family every summer in those years when we went to Okoboji for one or two weeks’ vacation.

My wife’s family has roots at Okoboji going back to the late 1890s. Her grandparents, Clair and Adel Baird of Omaha, built Clairdell Cottage on Fairoaks Beach on West Lake in 1931. Our grandchildren now are the fifth generation to spend a part of their summers at Clairdell.

I have been researching and writing about Okoboji history for many years. I intend to write about Okoboji history in this column periodically. It will be one of several diverse and reappearing themes for Arnold Garson: Second Thoughts!

Stay tuned.

Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our website. AP and Getty images may not be republished. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of any other photos and graphics.

Arnold Garson worked as a journalist and media executive for newspapers for 47 years. His posts included The Des Moines Register, where he served as an investigative reporter and then managing editor, and The Courier Journal in Louisville, Kentucky, where he served as president and publisher. He was a Gannett group vice-president, overseeing several newspapers in the western United States, and the Gannett Co., Inc. Manager of the Year in 2008. His career also included stops at the Omaha World-Herald, The San Bernardino County Sun, and the Argus Leader in Sioux Falls, where he presently resides. He is a founding director of South Dakota News Watch and the founder of Family Stories by Arnold Garson, through which he researches and writes long-form family history books and other specialized history projects. His blog, "Arnold Garson: Second Thoughts" is on Substack.

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Queen II Excursion Boat

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243 W Broadway St

Arnolds Park, IA 51331

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During our recent vacation at the Iowa Great Lakes, Gayle and I decided to try some different experiences from previous years visits. I ride on the Queen II seemed that one such opportunity. The Queen II takes passengers around West Lake Okoboji at $15 per persons over 36" tall. This replica of the original steamer, the Queen, offers a unique view of this glacial blue water lake, the surrounding landscape and at a maximum depth of 136 feet.. The ride also comes with a history lesson from the captain. In the late 19th century, the lake region became a resort area and the small steamboats and sailboats could not keep up with the flow of vacationers. The Queen, a large steamer, was constructed, along with other larger boats, to accommodate this new need. By the 1920s, the construction of roads around the lakes brought about the demise of most of the fleet. The Queen stayed in service for those people who wished to see the lake by water. In 1973 the Queen was finally retired, after 89 years of service. The Queen II was commissioned and built in 1986 and she was designated the "Flagship of the Iowa Navy." They want you! They want you! They want you as a new recruit! The excursion lasted approximately 75 minutes and I particularly enjoyed the relaxation, the scenery, and the cool breeze. My son enjoyed taking pictures of the birds flying nearby looking for food. The cruise also gave me a few landmarks for future land exploration. Tickets can be purchased at the Queen II Dock, and when we go again, it might be kind of cool to sail around around Sunset.

A must do when in the area. It's less than $20 a person and lasts a good while. It is narrated and tells the history of the lake and area. You can see some beautiful homes on the lake, some worth $millions! They have a bar and snacks all for purchase aboard the boat. There are also bathrooms

waiting to take off, dog was good entertainment

When we rode the Queen II last year they gave a military discount. When we rode it labor day they said they got rid of the discount. They even charged full price for 15 people from a disabled group home that was on a outing. Way to go Arnold.

Great bang for your buck. We took my parents here, who were visiting from Texas. Initially I worried my mom would get dizzy or seasick as she is prone to do so, even in an elevator, but she had no problems at all. We sat on the top deck. Took the 1:00 PM tour on a Wednesday so boat was not overly packed. We thoroughly enjoyed it and appreciated the captain telling about the area and pointing out points of interest along the way. You can get drinks, water, sodas, and I think beer but not sure, popcorn and basic snacks. There are restrooms on the boat. One fussy kid, about 5 years old, was quickly attended to by his mom so it wasn't a problem but would advise if you have children and they are ill behaved or fussy it would make a pleasant cruise around the lake hell for other passengers. Just saying...

Took the baby on a little boat ride when we were on vacay at Lake Okoboji...Ride was cute...the narration was a little loud though. We saw all the fancy summer houses of people with money, including the home of the inventor of gummi bears. Who knew? Nice weather, great activity for fifteen bucks or so...

We loved this boat ride. It was a little over an hour and the captain gave some great history about the lake and the area, it was very interesting and we wish it would have lasted longer. They serve drinks and refreshments on the boat and there is a restroom. All in all we loved it and for the money is quite a bargain.

Right next door while you wait!

Nice trip around West Lake Okoboji (the biggest and deepest of the Iowa Great Lakes at 130' plus) with a live narrator and a captain in uniform. Lots of local history including an "Indian Massacre," and a "Venice canal" boondoggle. Beautiful views, two deck covered seating with access to the bow. Free popcorn with a drink purchase. What's not to like?

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Arnolds Park & The Queen II

After visiting the charming Adventureland in Altoona, Iowa, I headed north to the shore of Lake Okoboji to Arnolds Park and a cruise on the Queen II . Besides the lake cruise, there is an amusement park, a music venue, and a few small museums. Let’s take a look.

Arnolds Park Amusement Park

My main goal in visiting Arnolds Park was to see the historic amusement park and roller coaster. It turns out it’s a very small park, and there isn’t much historic character left in it. The Legend roller coaster, built in 1930, doesn’t offer much in the thrills department, and overall, the park seems geared for smaller kids.

There is another roller coaster, a Wild Mouse relocated from another park, and a kiddie coaster. Otherwise, we have a Log Flume, Tilt-A-Whirl, Octopus, and a small Ferris wheel. There is a fun Mirror Maze and Tipsy House, which you don’t see often, and a Rock-O-Plane and Roll-O-Plane historic rides. I’ve never ridden these – they seem like kid’s rides and are frankly terrifying-looking. A Raceway for all ages is in the back of the park. The other 13 rides look strictly for little kids.

Arnolds Park Amusement Park is open in 2022 from May 21-September 5. In 2021, it was May 29-Sept 6, so that time frame seems about average for the season. The park always opens at 10 am, with closing times anywhere between 6-10 pm, depending on the season and the day of the week. Always check the operating calendar before your visit.

At Arnolds Park, you can pay ~$30 for an all-rides pass or pay per ride. The Legend roller coaster is $8, most of the other thrill rides are $6, and the kid’s rides are $4-5 each. I only paid for The Legend, but I wish I had also done the Wild Mouse and the Log Flume, which would total $20 for all three.

The Racetrack is priced out separately at $6-8 per ride: $6 for a Junior car, $7 for an adult, and $8 for an adult & child to ride together. Or you can pay $25 for an all-day pass.

Here in the off-season, you can buy a Black Friday deal for $45 , which would include an all-rides pass, an all-day pass for the Racetrack, and $10 in “park bucks,” a savings of about $20.

Right next to the amusement park is the Queen II excursion boat into Lake Okoboji. The Queen II is a small, two-level ship with inside seating and a bar downstairs, and an upper covered deck with standing room forward of the pilot’s cabin. (And if you’re wondering, the Queen I was in service from 1884-1973 and now resides at the bottom of the lake at Adventureland .)

An excursion on the Queen II lasts about 45 minutes or so. A pre-recorded narration details the history of the lake & the town. You can hear the narration best in the seated areas, but the best view is from the bow, where it’s too windy to hear it well. I ended up compromising by standing against the pilothouse where there is a speaker.

It’s so nice to be out on the water, even if the narration is canned, which is a disappointment. And you can get a nice view of the amusement park from the water.

The Queen II sets sail 1-5 times a day, depending on the date. Sail times tend to be at 11:00 am, 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, and 7:00 pm, though not all of those are available every day, or even most days. The last day of operation this year was August 18, so it closes up a little earlier in the year than the amusement park. I imagine it starts operation sometime around May, though the current calendar doesn’t go back (or forward) that far. Make sure to check the times before you go.

I wrote before that tickets for the Queen II are included with park admission, but I’m not sure that’s true. (I must have seen it someplace, but I can’t verify it now in the off-season.) As it is, individual ride tickets for the boat ride are $16,95 per person, $14.95 for ages 62 and up, and $5.95 for kids between 36-47 inches tall, accompanied by an adult. Purchase cruise tickets in the same place you buy your park tickets, from a window near the dock.

Free Museums

In the same area as the amusement park and the Queen II, there are three small museums. Each is free to visit, though there is a box for donations at the entrance to each one.

Maritime Museum

The biggest of the free museums is the Maritime Museum, accessed through a large gift shop/visitors center. This large room holds several beautiful classic boats and historical artifacts from the lake’s history. There is a well-preserved motorboat that was dredged up from the bottom of the lake, a recreation of the town’s first post office and general store, even a cute little “honeymoon” tent in the style of the early 1880’s visitors.

Arnolds Park Museum

In a room behind the Maritime Museum is the Arnolds Park Museum (accessed by walking around to the side of the building.) Here are some really interesting classic Arnolds Park amusement rides and vehicles. You can slide down a polished wooden slide for $1. Two other turn-of-the-19th-century “rides,” a once-rotating wooden barrel and a spinning wooden bowl, are just for display.

Around the room are other bits from the old park, like a scary figure from a funhouse, tiny bumper cars, old pinball machines, and more. I’m glad Arnolds Park celebrates its history, but this room makes me feel like it might have been more fun in the past than it is now.

Iowa Rock N Roll Hall of Fame

Last is the smallest of the free museums, celebrating rock music in Iowa. It mostly seems to celebrate bands from the ’50s-’70s that visited the Roof Garden music venue in days past. You’ll see names like the Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and The Guess Who. And you can buy a brick of mystery 45’s (record singles), which I think is a lot of fun.

The Roof Garden is still around – rebuilt in 2019 (and rockin’ since 1923.) Acts these days include Paul Revere’s Raiders and other classic rock bands, a Big Band Christmas show, comedy acts, and regional bands.

Parking/Layout

If you expect to be driving to a typical amusement park, you might get a little confused when you arrive here. Arnolds Park is part of a larger entertainment complex of buildings with one free parking lot serving them all. You can see a roller-coaster arch from this lot with “Welcome to Arnolds Park” and a short stretch of road toward the lake.

Directly in front of the parking lot is a large building with a visitors center and gift shop, the three free museums, and a row of tourist shops leading down the street to the water. At the end are a cafe and a Nutty Bar ice cream shop. A pretty plaza with a sculpture and benches is right at the water, along with a floating bar barge and some rental shops surrounding the dock for the Queen II. Heading back up the street on the other side is the entrance to the amusement park, the large Roof Garden building, and pirate-themed mini-golf.

The best news is that you can walk around this area, and even the amusement park, totally free. Only when you want to ride any rides or take the boat cruise does it cost any money. There is also a small downtown area to the right/east of the amusement park and a string of restaurants nearby. Otherwise, Arnolds Park seems to be mostly made up of holiday homes and campsites. It’s moderately fun to visit, but I wouldn’t make Arnolds Park a destination in and of itself.

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Categories Amusement Parks

Tags Amusement Parks History Iowa Museums Roller Coasters

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All Aboard the Queen II

by Nate Rippke | Jun 29, 2012 | Featured

The Queen II Excursion Boat is the only venue of its kind in the Iowa Great Lakes. Transform your event into a unique on-the-water experience, enhanced by the traditional ambiance of the lakes area. The Queen II can accommodate up to 200 guests and offers the excitement of a guided tour of West Lake Okoboji’s beautiful bays and beaches.

The Queen II sails daily at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. throughout July. On Saturdays, an 11 a.m. cruise is also scheduled. For more information and the schedule for August, visit http://www.arnoldspark.com/do/queen-ii-excursion-boat/

The Iowa Great Lakes Association documented a cruise in late June. See below for photos.

[nggallery id=14]

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How Okoboji became a resort mecca

The boat, the Queen II, now nearing its 40 th  year of service on West Okoboji Lake, is one of the last physical reminders at Okoboji of how the large glacial lakes of Northwest Iowa came to be a widely known tourist attraction.

The story begins in 1882 when the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway (BCR&N) opened the first rail line to the lakes area. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, generally known as simply the Milwaukee, opened a rail line to the lakes the following year.

The arrival of automobiles and air-conditioning would change everything, but those innovations still were a half-century away. For now, the companies’ grand vision was to attract thousands of vacationers every summer to the Lakes area, people seeking refuge from the summer heat in locations to the south. It was a plan that required more than rail lines and promotion.

First, there had to be hotels. So the railroads built them. The Orleans Hotel, built by the BCR&N, opened in 1883 on the south shore of Spirit Lake, was described as the finest hotel in the region, sometimes as the finest hotel in the West. But the hotels were only one piece of the equation.

The other essential set piece of the plan was providing transportation from the rail depots to the hotels and around the lakes area. The most obvious method, horse and buggy, would be too slow and too problematic. They could transport only a few people at a time, and summer rains often made the mud pathways of the time impassable. But wait. This resort area is built along waterfronts. There is another way to provide transportation. What about boats?

The privately owned watercraft of the time — sailboats and rowboats — were too small and too slow. But there was one other possibility:

Large, motorized excursion boats. They soon became a key factor in creating a regional lakes resort region in a remote location.

The excursion boats not only got people to and from the rail stations, they also provided local transportation within the lakes area. Vacationers summoned an excursion boat as needed. To go somewhere on one of the lakes, they went down to the end of the nearest dock with a towel or white flag and waved it at the first excursion boat that passed by. It would stop for boarding, then drop them off at their location of choice.

The boats also carried mail for delivery and hauled lumber to lakeshore construction sites.

The first excursion boat on the Iowa Great Lakes was the Alpha, launched by the BCR&N in 1882. During the decades that followed, at least eight more large excursion boats served the three clustered lakes of Dickinson County – West Okoboji, East Okoboji, and Spirit Lake.

The Milwaukee responded quickly with its own, larger excursion boat in 1884, the Ben Lennox, named for one of the company’s executives. Not to be outdone, the BCR&N immediately commissioned the construction of a bigger, grander ship the same year: The Queen.

The Queen, based originally on Spirit Lake, was relocated to service on East Okoboji and West Okoboji in 1900. It was able to navigate between the two lakes via a pivot swing bridge where Highway 71 crosses the two lakes today.

It was not long before other excursion boats joined the Iowa Great Lakes fleet – the Okoboji, the Sioux City, the Des Moines, the Boji Belle, the Empress.

Then, in the 1920s, led by The Des Moines Register’s “Get Iowa Out of the Mud” campaign, paved roads quickly became a reality throughout the state. About the same time, the first motorized runabouts began to arrive on the lakes; soon, virtually every lake cottage had a speed boat. After 40 years of providing the only local transportation for the lakes area, the era of the excursion boats ended almost as quickly as it had arrived.

It was not long before only the Queen and the Empress survived, operating as casual tour boats, not destination boats.

The Queen did find one new purpose. After World War II, it became the so-called flagship of the Iowa Navy, a fictional entity designed for promotional purposes. The Queen would stop at a private dock along West Lake, summon the owner, and hand him an admiral’s commission. The admirals of the Iowa Navy were assigned to “confound all harbingers of gloom, worry, energy and all enemies of carefree fun and relaxation.”

By 1973, the Queen had been working the Okoboji lakes for almost 90 years. It needed a major renovation or replacement. The boat was sold to Adventureland near Des Moines for $33,000 and transported there, where it spent some time providing rides around a small lake, then became a land-based tourist attraction. Finally, it was returned to the water for refurbishing – and sank. Its ultimate fate is not known, but it disappeared from Adventureland.

The Empress remained as the last of the excursion boats on Okoboji until it relocated to the Lake of the Ozarks in 1984. Area residents scrambled for the next year or two to raise money to bring back the Queen, the most legendary of the excursion boat fleet. The Queen II, a diesel-powered replica of the original steam-powered Queen, arrived in 1986 and has been in service since then.

My first ride on the Queen was in the mid-1940s. I was a child, and do not remember it. But a ride on the Queen was a must-do activity for my family every summer in those years when we went to Okoboji for one or two weeks’ vacation.

My wife’s family has roots at Okoboji going back to the late 1890s. Her grandparents, Clair and Adel Baird of Omaha, built Clairdell Cottage on Fairoaks Beach on West Lake in 1931. Our grandchildren now are the fifth generation to spend a part of their summers at Clairdell.

I have been researching and writing about Okoboji history for many years. I intend to write about Okoboji history in this column periodically. It will be one of several diverse and reappearing themes for Arnold Garson: Second Thoughts!

Stay tuned.

Editor’s note: Please consider subscribing to the collaborative and the authors’ blogs to support their work.

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The Queen II

712-332-6566

May - September

As famous as the Park itself, the Queen II is an Okoboji favorite. In the late 19th century, the lakes region became a resort area and the small steamboats and sailboats could not keep up with the flow of vacationers. The Queen, a large steamer, was constructed, along with other larger boats, to accommodate this new need. By the 1920s, the construction of roads around the lakes brought about the demise of most of the fleet. The Queen stayed in service for those people who wished to see the lake by water. In 1973 the Queen was finally retired, after 89 years of service. The Queen II was commissioned and built in 1986 and she was designated the “Flagship of the Iowa Navy.”

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

Historic Queen II Excursion Boat to Undergo Repairs Over the Winter  

Arnolds Park, 10/20/2023 – After a summer filled with unfortunate disruptions, the iconic Queen II Excursion Boat is set to undergo extensive repairs to ensure its continued operation for years to come. Thanks to the generosity of a dedicated donor, the decision has been made to restore the historic vessel rather than replacing it.  

Throughout the summer season, the Queen II faced numerous mechanical challenges that hindered its ability to provide the unforgettable experiences it is known for. In light of these setbacks, a crucial decision had to be made – whether to invest in new engines, generator, and interior updates or to explore the possibility of purchasing a new boat altogether.  

Ultimately, the dedication to preserving the rich history and charm of the Queen II prevailed. Thanks to the support of a generous donor, the decision was made to embark on a comprehensive restoration project. This endeavor will not only ensure the Queen ll’s continued presence on the waters but also allow future generations to enjoy the timeless beauty of this historic vessel. A summer visit to Okoboji isn’t complete without seeing her majesty sailing the waters and hearing the iconic blast of the horn.  

The restoration process will commence on October 24th, when the Queen II will be carefully pulled out of the water. The repairs will take place right on the beach of Arnolds Park Amusement Park, providing visitors with a unique opportunity to witness the restoration firsthand. Skilled craftsmen and technicians will work tirelessly throughout the winter months to breathe new life into the Queen II, meticulously attending to every detail to ensure its return to its former glory.  

“We are incredibly grateful for the support we have received from our community and the generous donor who made this restoration possible,” said Jon Pausley, CEO of Arnolds Park Amusement Park. “The Queen II holds a special place in the hearts of locals and visitors alike, and we are committed to preserving its legacy for future generations to enjoy.”  

The restoration of the Queen II is expected to be completed in time for the upcoming summer season, allowing tourists and locals to once again embark on unforgettable journeys aboard this beloved vessel. Updates on the progress of the restoration will be shared regularly, ensuring that enthusiasts can follow along and anticipate the Queen II’s triumphant return.  

For inquiries or further information, please contact:  

Jon Pausley  

712-332-2183  

[email protected]  

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“Queen II” out of the water as she undergoes repairs and refurbishing

ARNOLDS PARK, IOWA (KTIV) - The Queen II is the majestic excursion boat that sits on West Lake Okoboji at Arnolds Park. She’s been sailing the water since 1986, and now her majesty is out of the water. It took crews nine hours on Tuesday to pull the Queen II out of the water.

The decision was made to bring her ashore as repairs need to be made. “We need to do a full refurbishment of this boat that people love, so from engines, to generators, electrical, air condition, windows on the outside, and a new paint job as you can see it needs, all of that is happening over the Wintertime this year, and that’s what we’re having her out of the water for,” said Jon Pausley, Arnolds Park Amusement Park CEO.

Down in the bottom of the Queen II, where you can see one of the engines and a generator that are going to be repaired as part of this project, that will cost somewhere between $750,000 to $1,000,000. “The donor who is really putting on the restoration of this boat, him and his wife were married on the Queen as well, so a lot of nostalgia a lot of history, love, and beauty went into the queen and there’s just a lot of great stories surrounding this boat,” said Pausley.

The nearly 40-year-old boat has left a major impact on those who have visited Arnolds Park. Leaders said the choice was pretty clear when it came to making sure everyone can enjoy her majesty for years to come. “We want to make sure that this boat is around for future generations to enjoy, so many people have enjoyed riding this boat, we want to keep that a possibility for people’s kids, their kids, their grandkids coming,” said Pausley.

Not only will the boat receive restoration on parts, but there will be added upgrades including safety and navigation equipment.

The plan is for the Queen II to be operational by Spring of 2024.

To keep up with the progress made on the Queen II this winter you can follow a long on social media and online by clicking here .

Copyright 2023 KTIV. All rights reserved.

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Historic Queen II to undergo repairs over the winter

ARNOLDS PARK — After a summer filled with unfortunate disruptions, the iconic Queen II excursion boat is set to undergo extensive repairs to ensure its continued operation for years to come. Thanks to the generosity of a dedicated donor, the decision has been made to restore the historic vessel rather than replacing it.

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Local News | Queen II Excursion Boat To Undergo Minor Repairs

Queen II Excursion Boat To Undergo Minor Repairs

• By [email protected]
• April 26, 2022

Arnolds Park, Iowa — One of the most popular attractions at the Iowa Great Lakes for generations is about to undergo some repairs.

According to the Arnolds Park Amusement Park, due to low water levels last season, the Queen II excursion boat experienced some minor damage to the hull during the summer and there is a plan to take her out of the water on Wednesday May 4th, to conduct the repairs.

A Louisiana company called “Center Lift” has been hired to lift the excursion boat out of the water, utilizing an airbag type of system to gently lift the boat, which allows enough space for a maintenance crew to get in and repair the necessary areas.

Park officials say the maintenance will be conducted over a 24 hour period at the Gavens Point boat ramp on West Lake Okoboji in Smiths Bay.

The company will have safety barricades set up around the area, to safely administer the lift and lowering of the vessel and park officials say the Queen II will be fully operational for the start of the summer 2022 season.

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Office: 712-324-2597 | Text: 712-324-2597 | Studio: 712-324-5377

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Cruise the history of lake okoboji

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Call Jean today for more information on having your event onboard Queen II.

Jean Schultz-Mugge Sales Manager Direct Line: (712) 332-6522

Specifications

Full Capacity: 150

Theater seating capacity: 125

Banquet seating capacity: 90

Available May – Oct.

Full service bar

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