Doesn’t that title seem ominous?
Throughout the winter, I’ve been receiving a lot of links pertaining to the “ghost ship” that can be found in a small creek on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River just across from Lawrenceburg.
Originally launched in 1902 and known as the Celt, it was built as a 186 foot luxury liner. In 1917, the US Navy acquired the boat and renamed it the USS Sachem. It was originally used to fight submarines in World War I, and then they turned it over to Thomas Edison to perform government sponsored experiments.
After World War I, it was sold back into private hands, where it was used as a fishing boat until World War II broke out. It was rented by the Navy again and renamed the USS Phenakite.
After World War II, it was sold to a sightseeing tour company in New York City and renamed the Circle Line V. It was used as a tour boat until the 80’s, when it was purchased by a Cincinnati resident, Robert Miller, who brought it to the creek where it sits today (which was previously his private property).
You can catch sight of the bow of the then Circle Line V at the 1:52 minute mark in Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach” video.
What many of you don’t know is that a few years ago we had a couple of meetings with Mr. Miller about acquiring the boat to keep at Lighthouse. Even though Robert sold the property the boat sits on, the boat is still owned by him. There have been numerous people who have tried to purchase it (or those of us…ahem…who hoped he would donate it to them), but he didn’t budge. It would have been a huge undertaking to get it downriver, considering it’s been stuck in mud for over 25 years.
It’s staying in that creek.
So this summer, if you’re trying to find a new place to explore, take a smaller boat up to see the Sachem!
Some of the recent posts I’ve received:
http://queencitydiscovery.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-ghost-ship.html
http://screen.yahoo.com/mysterious-ghost-ship-incredible-history-004502570.html?soc_src=default
Here is the photo gallery I’ve just added on this site with our own personal photos of the Sachem. Feel free to email us at office@lpycontheohio.com with any additional photos you may have and I’ll add them as well (with photo credit, of course).
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