About Us
Belle of Louisville Riverboats
Belle of Louisville Riverboats (BOLR) is a Louisville Metro agency managed by Waterfront Development Corporation via a fiscal agent agreement. The three vessels that make up BOLR are owned by Louisville Metro Government. They are the Belle of Louisville, the last remaining Mississippi River-style steamboat in the world; the Mary M. Miller, named after a Louisvillian who was the first female licensed steamboat captain in the U.S. in 1884; and the Mayor Andrew Broaddus, also known as Life-Saving Station #10, a wharf boat that serves as the hub of operations for both passenger vessels. Both the Belle and the Broaddus are National Historic Landmarks and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Belle of Louisville was purchased in 1962 by Jefferson County Fiscal Court. As the last remaining boat in the U.S. from the great steamboat era, the Belle was intended to be a symbol of the River City, an amenity for the community, and a way to reconnect it to the river that created it.
Initial plans for the Belle included making her a dockside museum, a banquet hall, a restaurant-night club in addition to excursions. In the first few decades of operation, the Belle was successful operating as simply an excursion boat. The cruises alone proved so popular, especially for tourists, that the other ideas never gained traction.
Sixty years later, the organization has returned to its original mission of reconnecting the community to the river by establishing Belle of Louisville Riverboats as a cultural heritage icon-- sharing diverse stories of the river and Louisville’s history through on-the-water experiences that feature live music, history, engaging programs, food and spirits, the arts and cultural partners.
For many Louisvillians today, Belle of Louisville Riverboats is their first and perhaps only experience on the river.
Waterfront Development Corporation
Established in 1986 by interlocal agreement, Waterfront Development Corporation (WDC) is a partnership between Louisville Metro and the Commonwealth of Kentucky formed to coordinate and implement strategies to revitalize Louisville’s Waterfront. WDC is governed by a 15-member board of directors consisting of the Mayor (or designee), a member of Louisville Metro Council, 7 individuals appointed by the Mayor and Metro Council, the Governor (or designee), and 5 individuals appointed by the Governor.
