National Museum of Transportation near Kirkwood in St. Louis County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

The H.T. Pott Towboat

Imagine traveling down the Missouri...

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 22, 2019

1. The H.T. Pott Towboat Marker

Inscription.
You can walk the decks of the "H.T. Pott," the first Missouri River towboat with a welded steel hull instead of a riveted hull.

• The vessel, built in 1933, operated out of Kansas City, MO. It is named for Herman T. Pott (1895-1982), a distinguished river transportation executive and entrepreneur. The "H.T. Pott" was built by his St. Louis Shipyard & Steel Co., which had operated under several names since the Civil War.

• Groups of barges that are moved on the nation's rivers are called "tows." The boats that propel them are called "towboats," even though they push the barges from the back instead of pulling them.

• The "H.T. Pott" is 58 feet long and 15 feet wide, and has a "draft," i.e., the amount of the hull below the water line, of six feet. It was built with a 140 horsepower Fairbanks-More diesel engine, since replaced with a 260 horsepower GM diesel. Last used by Massman-Peterman Construction Company, the towboat was donated by Robert A. Latta in 1986.

• How did it arrive at the landlocked Museum? A truck brought in the vessel's hull after which its engine was reinstalled and a replica deckhouse built.

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Mrs. Pott rededicated the "H.T. Pott" in memory of her husband in 1989.

Erected by Museum of Transportation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1933.

Location. 38° 34.355′ N, 90° 27.709′ W. Marker is near Kirkwood, Missouri, in St. Louis County. It is in National Museum of Transportation. It can be reached from Barrett Station Road east of Old Dougherty Ferry Road, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2933 Barrett Station Road, Saint Louis MO 63122, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater St. Louis.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 22, 2019

2. The H.T. Pott Towboat Marker

least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Laclede Christy #2 (a few steps from this marker); Laclede-Christy Clau Products Company #2 (a few steps from this marker); Douglas Aircraft C-47A (within shouting distance of this marker); Douglas Aircraft C-47A Transport (within shouting distance of this marker); St. Louis Southwestern Maintenance of Way #95589 (within shouting distance of this marker); Union Pacific #6944 (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Sellers Turntable (within shouting distance of this marker); Monsanto Universal Training Car #3210 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kirkwood.

Other markers no longer nearby. Tow Boat H.T. Pott (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); The Sellers Turntable (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Credits. This page was last revised on April 24, 2020. It was originally submitted on April 27, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 475 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 27, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.